How to calculate or predict carrying capacity of a particular habitat. Or simply if it is consider a forest as for example, then for a particular species like Tiger, what will be the carrying capacity, or how to calculate it? And another point is that is there any dependency of growth rate with carrying capacity. Suppose $K$ and $r$ are respectively the carrying capacity and growth rate, then is it $K= f(r)$ or $r =f(K)$ true?
Ecological carrying capacity (K) of wild animals in a particular habitat can be determined by taking repeated observations over considerable time. The data are plotted. Overpopulation would occur above K and the population then experiences crashes once the population becomes asymptotic due to limited resources. However, once below the K it will tend towards K as it capitalises on released resources, but because of time lag it will once again exceed K before crashing once more. This may be cyclical. The averaging of the dips and peaks can estimate the K.
From original data, its possible to forecast population density until reach carrying capacity using population models. Nowadays the classical population equations (Malthus, von Foerster, Gompertz, Verhulst and Cohen) are connected via q-logistic equation (RIBEIRO, 2017) and we have a phenomenological and mechanistic interpretation of the associated paramerters. We can make some mathematical calculations from original data, for exemple, calculating dn/dt and d2/dt from original data and note if data are above the inflexion point. If yes, it means that population is beginning to sufer of density interference and the data is more near the assimptotic point (the carrying capacity) and desacelerating the per capita growth rate. Choose the best parameters combinations (look for realistic values, for exemple, the Fenchel's law that relates intrinsic rate of growth with body mass or the Damuth's law, that relates carrying capacity with body mass and land area, etc). After find these theoretical parameters values, test these values in a known interval (mean and standard deviation) and observe, in each population equation, the best fit of the curve to data. It's a little labor, but we have a good theoretical background to find a near-the-true carrying capacity.
- Badges
- Science method
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Ecology