Development and validation of an individual based Daphnia magna population model: The influence of crowding on population dynamics

Thomas Günter Preuss, Monika Hammers-Wirtz, Udo Hommen, Mascha Nadine Rubach and Hans Toni Ratte

Ecological Modelling, 2009, vol. 220, issue 3, 310-329

Abstract: An individual-based model was developed to predict the population dynamics of Daphnia magna at laboratory conditions from individual life-history traits observed in experiments with different feeding conditions. Within the model, each daphnid passes its individual life cycle including feeding on algae, aging, growing, developing and – when maturity is reached – reproducing. The modelled life cycle is driven by the amount of ingested algae and the density of the Daphnia population. At low algae densities the population dynamics is mainly driven by food supply, when the densities of algae are high, the limiting factor is “crowding” (a density-dependent mechanism due to chemical substances released by the organisms or physical contact, but independent of food competition).

Keywords: Daphnia magna; Individual-based; Population; Density dependence; Crowding; Population; Structure; Size distribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecomod:v:220:y:2009:i:3:p:310-329

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2008.09.018

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