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Full-Text Articles in Statistics and Probability
New Statistical Methods For Analysis Of Historical Data From Wildlife Populations, Trevor Hefley
New Statistical Methods For Analysis Of Historical Data From Wildlife Populations, Trevor Hefley
Department of Statistics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Work
Wildlife biologists, many times with the help of ordinary citizens, have developed and maintained long-term datasets for monitoring the status of wildlife populations. These datasets can range from a collection of citizen-reported sightings of a rare species, to datasets collected by biologists using standardized methods. The commonality is that these datasets span a temporal and spatial scale that is beyond the scope of most scientific studies. Ensuring the continued persistence of wildlife populations requires predictions of the impact of human actions. Regardless if the predictions are quantitative or qualitative, the best we can do is use the past data to …
Native Insect Herbivory Limits Population Growth Rate Of A Non-Native Thistle, James O. Eckberg, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Svata M. Louda
Native Insect Herbivory Limits Population Growth Rate Of A Non-Native Thistle, James O. Eckberg, Brigitte Tenhumberg, Svata M. Louda
Brigitte Tenhumberg Papers
The influence of native fauna on non-native plant population growth, size, and distribution is not well documented. Previous studies have shown that native insects associated with tall thistle (Cirsium altissimum) also feed on the leaves, stems, and flower heads of the Eurasian congener Cirsium vulgare, thus limiting individual plant performance. In this study, we tested the effects of insect herbivores on the population growth rate of C. vulgare. We experimentally initiated invasions by adding seeds at four unoccupied grassland sites in eastern Nebraska, USA, and recorded plant establishment, survival, and reproduction. Cumulative foliage and floral herbivory …