RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 When higher carrying capacities lead to faster propagation
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 307322
DO 10.1101/307322
A1 Marjorie Haond
A1 Thibaut Morel-Journel
A1 Eric Lombaert
A1 Elodie Vercken
A1 Ludovic Mailleret
A1 Lionel Roques
YR 2018
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2018/09/19/307322.abstract
AB This preprint has been reviewed and recommended by Peer Community In Ecology (https://dx.doi.org/10.24072/pci.ecology.100004). Finding general patterns in the expansion of natural populations is a major challenge in ecology and invasion biology. Classical spatio-temporal models predict that the carrying capacity (K) of the environment should have no influence on the speed (v) of an expanding population. We tested the generality of this statement with reaction-diffusion equations, stochastic individual-based models, and microcosms experiments with Trichogramma chilonis wasps. We investigated the dependence between K and v under different assumptions: null model (Fisher-KPP-like assumptions), strong Allee effects, and positive density-dependent dispersal. These approaches led to similar and complementary results. Strong Allee effects, positive density-dependent dispersal and demographic stochasticity in small populations lead to a positive dependence between K and v. A positive correlation between carrying capacity and propagation speed might be more frequent than previously expected, and be the rule when individuals at the edge of a population range are not able to fully drive the expansion.