Bayesian salamanders: analysing the demography of an underground population of the European plethodontid Speleomantes strinatii with state-space modelling.

BMC Ecology
Jan LindströmSebastiano Salvidio

Abstract

It has been suggested that Plethodontid salamanders are excellent candidates for indicating ecosystem health. However, detailed, long-term data sets of their populations are rare, limiting our understanding of the demographic processes underlying their population fluctuations. Here we present a demographic analysis based on a 1996-2008 data set on an underground population of Speleomantes strinatii (Aellen) in NW Italy. We utilised a Bayesian state-space approach allowing us to parameterise a stage-structured Lefkovitch model. We used all the available population data from annual temporary removal experiments to provide us with the baseline data on the numbers of juveniles, subadults and adult males and females present at any given time. Sampling the posterior chains of the converged state-space model gives us the likelihood distributions of the state-specific demographic rates and the associated uncertainty of these estimates. Analysing the resulting parameterised Lefkovitch matrices shows that the population growth is very close to 1, and that at population equilibrium we expect half of the individuals present to be adults of reproductive age which is what we also observe in the data. Elasticity analysis shows that adult surv...Continue Reading

References

Nov 5, 1999·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·T G Benton, A Grant
Aug 10, 2002·Science·Andrew BalmfordR Kerry Turner
Oct 16, 2004·Science·Simon N StuartRobert W Waller
Dec 19, 2006·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·C Jessica E Metcalf, Samuel Pavard
Jan 12, 2007·Die Naturwissenschaften·Sebastiano Salvidio
Jul 27, 2007·Proteomics·Gil AlterovitzMarco F Ramoni
Jan 25, 2008·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·E E HolmesK Sweeney
Jan 28, 2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Stéphanie JenouvrierHenri Weimerskirch
Jan 31, 2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Stephen R CarpenterAnne Whyte
Apr 10, 2009·The American Naturalist·Giacomo TavecchiaTim H Clutton-Brock
Feb 1, 1991·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·James R Karr

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jul 15, 2015·International Journal of Biometeorology·Sebastiano SalvidioMauro V Pastorino
Apr 12, 2017·Zoological Science·Jae-Young SongHong-Shik Oh
Aug 18, 2020·Oecologia·Nicholas M CarusoLeslie J Rissler
Jul 10, 2018·Scientific Reports·Gentile Francesco FicetolaRaoul Manenti

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
dissections

Software Mentioned

MatLab
CAPTURE
WinBUGS
FiSAT

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.