Advances in population ecology and species interactions in mammals

Abstract

The study of mammals has promoted the development and testing of many ideas in contemporary ecology. Here we address recent developments in foraging and habitat selection, source–sink dynamics, competition (both within and between species), population cycles, predation (including apparent competition), mutualism, and biological invasions. Because mammals are appealing to the public, ecological insight gleaned from the study of mammals has disproportionate potential in educating the public about ecological principles and their application to wise management. Mammals have been central to many computational and statistical developments in recent years, including refinements to traditional approaches and metrics (e.g., capture-recapture) as well as advancements of novel and developing fields (e.g., spatial capture-recapture, occupancy modeling, integrated population models). The study of mammals also poses challenges in terms of fully characterizing dynamics in natural conditions. Ongoing climate change threatens to affect global ecosystems, and mammals provide visible and charismatic subjects for research on local and regional effects of such change as well as predictive modeling of the long-term effects on ecosystem function and stability. Although much remains to be done, the population ecology of mammals continues to be a vibrant and rapidly developing field. We anticipate that the next quarter century will prove as exciting and productive for the study of mammals as has the recent one.

Guild-level responses of bats to habitat conversion in a lowland Amazonian rainforest: species composition and biodiversity

“…1 ), which harbors source populations that use these habitats. More generally, in the Inambari area, where much of the landscape remains contiguous closed-canopy forest, rescue of local populations from extinction in chacra or purma is likely enhanced via source–sink dynamics ( Pulliam 1988 ; Kelt et al, In press ).…”

Population cycles in voles and lemmings: state of the science and future directions

“…The often contentious history of population cycle research has been thoroughly discussed in the literature, and the scientific progress has been reviewed periodically (e.g. Krebs et al 1973, Tamarin 1978, Lidicker 1988, Batzli 1992, Krebs 1996, Stenseth 1999, Berryman 2002, Hanski & Henttonen 2002, Turchin 2003, Kelt et al 2019. Here, I provide a thorough review of published research on rodent population cycles, highlight interesting features of cyclic rodent populations, review progress, discuss the possible reasons for our failure to ascertain causes of population cycles, and identify knowledge gaps that must be filled to identify necessary and sufficient causes of population cycles.…”

“…, Turchin , Kelt et al. ). Here, I provide a thorough review of published research on rodent population cycles, highlight interesting features of cyclic rodent populations, review progress, discuss the possible reasons for our failure to ascertain causes of population cycles, and identify knowledge gaps that must be filled to identify necessary and sufficient causes of population cycles.…”

Past and present disturbances generate spatial variation in seed predation

“…Because seed predation may be tightly linked to the abundance and activity of animals that consume seeds (Ji‐Qi and Zhi‐Bin 2004), environmental characteristics that modify animal behavior, abundance, and community composition can place important constraints on seed survival (Orrock et al 2010, Lichti et al 2014, 2017, Brehm et al 2019). Despite the importance of understanding how the environment can modify seed–animal interactions, deciphering the effect of the environment can be complex because multiple environmental components can affect the activity, abundance, and community composition of foraging animals (Brown and Kotler 2004, Orrock et al 2010, Kelt et al 2019).…”