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Regulation of a Northern Grey Squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis) Population
Author(s) -
Thompson Donald C.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.144
H-Index - 294
eISSN - 1939-9170
pISSN - 0012-9658
DOI - 10.2307/1938774
Subject(s) - sciurus carolinensis , sciurus , biological dispersal , population , biology , ecology , population size , population density , zoology , demography , habitat , sociology
The parameters of a northern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) population were examined. The objective was to determine the factor(s) that controlled population size. Adult death rates were constant and were less than those of young. More young produced that subsequently entered the breeding population. The number of young recruited into the adult population was the main parameter which determined population size. The dispersal of young was the factor that determined the number of young which survived to recruit. The essential conclusion is that established squirrels interact with young to regulated recruitment through dispersal, and, in turn, population numbers.