González-Correa, José Miguel, Fernández-Torquemada, Yolanda, Sánchez-Lizaso, José Luis
Comparing shoot population dynamics methods on Posidonia oceanica meadows
GONZÁLEZ CORREA, José Miguel; FERNÁNDEZ TORQUEMADA, Yolanda; SÁNCHEZ LIZASO, José Luis. “Comparing shoot population dynamics methods on Posidonia oceanica meadows”. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. Vol. 353, Issue 1 (21 Dec. 2007). ISSN 0022-0981, pp. 115-125
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10045/11312
DOI: 10.1016/j.jembe.2007.09.008
ISSN: 0022-0981 (Print)
Abstract: 
Prediction capacity of three main shoot population dynamics methods (age structure, net shoot recruitment per plagiotropic rhizome and shoot census) have been tested for a period of four years (2002–2006) on a Posidonia oceanica meadow. Accuracy of each method was checked by comparing measured and predicted densities at the end of the study period. Predicted densities came from the evolution of initial densities (measured in 2002) by a basic exponential model of population growth. The exponential model used the different net shoot recruitment rate estimates by each population dynamics method on three depths (upper, medium and lower limit) and three localities at each depth. Predictions performed by shoot census and net shoot recruitment per plagiotropic rhizome methods matched with measured densities at the end of the study period. Conversely, age structure method underestimated shoot densities at each depth, indicating an unreal decrease of shoot population in the meadow.
Keywords:Mortality rate, Net shoot recruitment rate, Population demography, Posidonia oceanica, Shoot census, Shoot population dynamics
Elsevier
info:eu-repo/semantics/article