Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1086/669904
Title (Primary) Predicting population dynamics from the properties of individuals: a cross-level test of dynamic energy budget theory
Author Martin, B.T.; Jager, T.; Nisbet, R.M.; Preuss, T.G.; Grimm, V.
Source Titel American Naturalist
Year 2013
Department OESA
Volume 181
Issue 4
Page From 506
Page To 519
Language englisch
Keywords population dynamics; dynamic energy budget theory; bioenergetics; individual-based model
UFZ wide themes ru5
Abstract Individual-based models (IBMs) are increasingly used to link the dynamics of individuals to higher levels of biological organization. Still, many IBMs are data hungry, species-specific, and time consuming to develop and analyze. Many of these issues would be resolved by using general theories of individual dynamics as the basis for IBMs. While such theories have frequently been examined at the individual level, few cross-level tests exist which also try to predict population dynamics. Here we perform a cross-level test of DEB theory by parameterizing an individual-based model using individual-level data of the water flea, Daphnia magna, and comparing the emerging population dynamics to independent data from population experiments. We found that DEB theory successfully predicted population growth rates and peak densities, but failed to capture the decline phase. Further assumptions on food-dependent mortality of juveniles were needed to capture the population dynamics after the initial population peak. The resulting model then predicted, without further calibration, characteristic switches between small- and large-amplitude cycles, which have been observed for Daphnia. We conclude that cross-level tests help detect gaps in current individual-level theories and ultimately will lead to theory development and the establishment of a generic basis for individual-based models and ecology.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=13573
Martin, B.T., Jager, T., Nisbet, R.M., Preuss, T.G., Grimm, V. (2013):
Predicting population dynamics from the properties of individuals: a cross-level test of dynamic energy budget theory
Am. Nat. 181 (4), 506 - 519 10.1086/669904