Premium
Precision of Population Viability Analysis
Author(s) -
Ellner Stephen P.,
Fieberg John,
Ludwig Donald,
Wilcox Chris
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
conservation biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.2
H-Index - 222
eISSN - 1523-1739
pISSN - 0888-8892
DOI - 10.1046/j.1523-1739.2002.00553.x
Subject(s) - extinction (optical mineralogy) , extinction probability , statistics , range (aeronautics) , econometrics , population , population viability analysis , estimation , mathematics , population size , geography , endangered species , demography , economics , physics , engineering , sociology , management , optics , aerospace engineering
Although population viability analysis (PVA) is widely used in setting conservation policy, there is disagreement about the usefulness of this method. Objections have been raised concerning the precision of predictions in view of the short time series of data available and the sensitivity of estimates of extinction risk to estimated parameters (Hamilton & Moller 1995; Taylor 1995; Groom & Pascual 1998; Ludwig 1999). Beissinger and Westphal (1998) reviewed the use of demographic models for endangered-species management. They pointed out that poor data cause difficulties in parameter estimation, which in turn lead to unreliable estimates of extinction risk. There are additional