TRANSIENT DYNAMICS OF POPULATIONS WITH AGE-DEPENDENT AND SIZE-DEPENDENT VITAL-RATES

The transient dynamics of a population containing individuals with age- and size-dependent vital rates are considered. There are 2 sequential phases in the dynamics. During the 1st phase the dynamics are determined by both the age and size dependence of the vital rates. This phase can operate only so long as individuals initially present remain alive, and is followed by a 2nd phase in which the age dependence of the vital rates alone governs the dynamics. In view of this rapid collapse into an age-dependent mode, the approximation to the transient dynamics given by the age-dependent Leslie matrix is likely to be closer than that given by the size-dependent Lefkovitch matrix. Results are illustrated with data from a clonal population of Daphnia magna. -from Authors