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Effects of mammalian predators on partridge populations
Author(s) -
TAPPER S. C.,
GREEN R. E.,
RANDS M. R. W.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
mammal review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.574
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1365-2907
pISSN - 0305-1838
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2907.1982.tb00012.x
Subject(s) - predation , predator , biology , ecology , population , demography , sociology
Many ecologists have argued that predation is of little consequence in the regulation of gamebird numbers and that predator control in game management is a waste of time. Their case has included two lines of evidence; firstly, gamekeepers do not appear to be reducing predator numbers significantly; secondly, mortality by predation appears to be compensatory and therefore has little impact on gamebird populations as a whole. However, a closer examination of the activities of gamekeepers indicates that they do reduce predation pressure either by reducing or completely removing some predator species, or by temporarily reducing their number on a local basis. Recent research including an investigation of partridge population processes explored with a computer simulation model indicates that predation does regulate both autumn and spring densities. Other factors play an important role only when predators are removed.