Abstract
Although many papers have described assumptions and calculations of r from different kinds of data, none has compared estimates of r for the same real data set under different assumptions. We used the age distributions of gray foxes collected during six trapping seasons to estimate and compare r and lₓ series derived under different assumptions. Because trapped foxes are killed, they are believed by some to represent death history data. We found this treatment underestimates mortality so overestimates survivorship and leads to erroneous conclusions about the population. Use of a projection matrix allowed prediction of population size and thus allowed us to predict "observed" rate of increase. Use of projection matrices also resulted in the most conservative estimated of r.
Recommended Citation
Tumlison, C. Renn and McDaniel, V. Rick
(1988)
"Comments on Estimating Population Rate of Increase from Age Frequency Data,"
Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 42, Article 26.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol42/iss1/26
