Individual mobility prevents an Allee effect in sparse populations of the bush cricket Metrioptera roeseli: an experimental study

Sammanfattning

The bush cricket, Metrioptera roeseli (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae), occurs in patchy and heterogeneous agricultural landscapes. Such a mosaic of different types of grassland habitats causes spatial variation in local population density. Low population densities may result in fewer mating opportunities that can give rise to an Allee effect, possibly leading to a population decline or extinction. This experimental study shows that individuals can avoid an Allee effect by adjusting their movement behaviour in sparse populations. Even at a population density of Eve individuals per hectare, i.e. approximately one percent of normal population densities, no reduction of mating frequencies was detected. Observed net displacements made by different individuals in high and low population densities could successfully be predicted by a simple model of animal movement.

Publicerad i

Oikos
1998, volym: 81, nummer: 3, sidor: 449-457
Utgivare: MUNKSGAARD INT PUBL LTD

SLU författare

• Kindvall, Oskar

  • Institutionen för entomologi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Vessby, Karolina

  • Institutionen för entomologi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Hartman, Göran

  • Institutionen för naturvårdsbiologi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

• Berggren, Åsa

  • Institutionen för naturvårdsbiologi, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

UKÄ forskningsämne

Ekologi

Publikationens identifierare

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/3546766

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/52111