Section: Ecology
Topic: Ecology, Population biology

When higher carrying capacities lead to faster propagation

Haond, Marjorie1 ; Morel-Journel, Thibaut2 ; Lombaert, Eric1 ; Vercken, Elodie1 ; Mailleret, Ludovic3, 1 ; Roques, Lionel4 
1 ISA, Université Côte d'Azur - INRAE - CNRS, 06903 Sophia-Antipolis, France
2 Earth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
3 Biocore, INRIA, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France
4 BioSP, INRA, 84000 Avignon, France

10.24072/pcjournal.66 - Peer Community Journal, Volume 1 (2021), article no. e57.

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Finding general patterns in the expansion of natural populations is a major challenge in ecology and invasion biology. Classical spatio-temporal models predict that the carrying capacity (K) of the environment should have no influence on the speed (v) of an expanding population. We tested the generality of this statement with reaction-diffusion equations, stochastic individual-based models, and microcosms experiments with Trichogramma chilonis wasps. We investigated the dependence between K and v under different assumptions: null model (Fisher-KPP-like assumptions), strong Allee effects, and positive density-dependent dispersal. These approaches led to similar and complementary results. Strong Allee effects, positive density-dependent dispersal and demographic stochasticity in small populations lead to a positive dependence between K and v. A positive correlation between carrying capacity and propagation speed might be more frequent than previously expected, and be the rule when individuals at the edge of a population range are not able to fully drive the expansion.

Published online:
DOI: 10.24072/pcjournal.66
Type: Research article

Haond, Marjorie 1; Morel-Journel, Thibaut 2; Lombaert, Eric 1; Vercken, Elodie 1; Mailleret, Ludovic 3, 1; Roques, Lionel 4

1 ISA, Université Côte d'Azur - INRAE - CNRS, 06903 Sophia-Antipolis, France
2 Earth and Life Institute, Biodiversity Research Centre, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
3 Biocore, INRIA, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France
4 BioSP, INRA, 84000 Avignon, France
License: CC-BY 4.0
Copyrights: The authors retain unrestricted copyrights and publishing rights 
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     author = {Haond, Marjorie and Morel-Journel, Thibaut and Lombaert, Eric and Vercken, Elodie and Mailleret, Ludovic and Roques, Lionel},
     title = {When higher carrying capacities lead to faster propagation},
     journal = {Peer Community Journal},
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Haond, Marjorie; Morel-Journel, Thibaut; Lombaert, Eric; Vercken, Elodie; Mailleret, Ludovic; Roques, Lionel. When higher carrying capacities lead to faster propagation. Peer Community Journal, Volume 1 (2021), article  no. e57. doi : 10.24072/pcjournal.66. https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.66/

PCI peer reviews and recommendation, and links to data, scripts, code and supplementary information: 10.24072/pci.ecology.100004

Conflict of interest of the recommender and peer reviewers:
The recommender in charge of the evaluation of the article and the reviewers declared that they have no conflict of interest (as defined in the code of conduct of PCI) with the authors or with the content of the article.

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