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Demography and population growth rate of the tree Prosopis flexuosa with contrasting grazing regimes in the Central Monte Desert

Publication ,  Journal Article
Aschero, V; Morris, WF; Vázquez, DP; Alvarez, JA; Villagra, PE
Published in: Forest Ecology and Management
June 1, 2016

One of the most important current challenges for ecologists is to evaluate how human-induced changes in ecosystems would impact viability of populations. Demographic response to anthropogenic impact could help us to understand how to manage those impacts. Using demographic techniques and population projection models, here we assess if demography and population dynamics of the tree Prosopis flexuosa change in cattle grazed areas compared to ungrazed areas in the Central Monte desert, Mendoza, Argentina. To this end, we quantified vital rates and constructed a population projection matrix model to compare the deterministic population growth rate (λ) between grazed and ungrazed areas. We also estimated elasticities of vital rates to evaluate their potential importance for future changes in λ and performed a life table response experiment (LTRE) to identify the life cycle transitions that contribute the most to the observed differences in λ between the two treatments. Although we found differences in demographic processes, such as lower seed production and higher probability of reversion to smaller size classes in young individuals when cattle were present, our results indicate that cattle grazing had no significant effect on λ for this species. According to the elasticity analysis, survival of large trees is the main driver of the population growth rate (λ) of P. flexuosa, and the vital rates related to tree reproduction, such as seed production and germination, have a poor contribution to λ. Therefore, limitations of activities that can affect survival of large trees should be considered as part of the conservation strategy for this species. Our study provides a compilation of demographic information that can be useful to set policies connecting the conservation objectives for this woodlands with that of ranch managers of the area.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Forest Ecology and Management

DOI

ISSN

0378-1127

Publication Date

June 1, 2016

Volume

369

Start / End Page

184 / 190

Related Subject Headings

  • Forestry
  • 4102 Ecological applications
  • 3103 Ecology
  • 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences
  • 05 Environmental Sciences
 

Citation

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Aschero, V., Morris, W. F., Vázquez, D. P., Alvarez, J. A., & Villagra, P. E. (2016). Demography and population growth rate of the tree Prosopis flexuosa with contrasting grazing regimes in the Central Monte Desert. Forest Ecology and Management, 369, 184–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2016.03.028
Aschero, V., W. F. Morris, D. P. Vázquez, J. A. Alvarez, and P. E. Villagra. “Demography and population growth rate of the tree Prosopis flexuosa with contrasting grazing regimes in the Central Monte Desert.” Forest Ecology and Management 369 (June 1, 2016): 184–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2016.03.028.
Aschero V, Morris WF, Vázquez DP, Alvarez JA, Villagra PE. Demography and population growth rate of the tree Prosopis flexuosa with contrasting grazing regimes in the Central Monte Desert. Forest Ecology and Management. 2016 Jun 1;369:184–90.
Aschero, V., et al. “Demography and population growth rate of the tree Prosopis flexuosa with contrasting grazing regimes in the Central Monte Desert.” Forest Ecology and Management, vol. 369, June 2016, pp. 184–90. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2016.03.028.
Aschero V, Morris WF, Vázquez DP, Alvarez JA, Villagra PE. Demography and population growth rate of the tree Prosopis flexuosa with contrasting grazing regimes in the Central Monte Desert. Forest Ecology and Management. 2016 Jun 1;369:184–190.
Journal cover image

Published In

Forest Ecology and Management

DOI

ISSN

0378-1127

Publication Date

June 1, 2016

Volume

369

Start / End Page

184 / 190

Related Subject Headings

  • Forestry
  • 4102 Ecological applications
  • 3103 Ecology
  • 07 Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
  • 06 Biological Sciences
  • 05 Environmental Sciences