Research Seminar - Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment

Seminar abstract: While the metapopulation paradigm emphasises the balance between demographic processes operating within-colonies and limited dispersal that loosely binds colonies in space and maintaining a degree of asynchrony between colonies, trophic ecology considers how natural enemies may synchronise populations that share predators or parasites.

In this talk, I will present results from an empirical study of processes operating at a range of temporal and spatial scales in a large empirical study of water voles in the mountains of Scotland. Here, widespread dispersal by juveniles only briefly binds populations, while they drift apart demographically for most of the year. We find evidence of “waves of death” emanating from colonies having gone extinct and causing a pattern of spatially correlated extinction. Ecto-parasites prevalence is highly spatially variable with characteristic scales of aggregation for each species. Temporary herbivory and longer-lasting burrow structures shape plant communities of water vole patches. The combined scales of herbivory and ecosystem engineering impacts create a pattern of meta-community dynamics.

No RSVP is required, we hope to see you all there.