TITLE:
Effects of life-history components on population dynamics of the rare endangered plant Davidia involucrata
AUTHORS:
Haimei You, Yanhong Liu, Kazue Fujiwara
KEYWORDS:
Davidia involucrata; Lefkovitch Matrix model; Life-History Stage; Population Ecology; Sensitivity Analysis
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Science,
Vol.5 No.1,
January
15,
2013
ABSTRACT: In order to estimate
the most effect stage and process on
population growth and effective conserve the rare endangered plant Davidia involucrata, we analyzed the
dynamics and the contributions of life-history components on population
dynamics based on Lefkovitch matrix model and sensitivity analysis. The life
cycle of Davidia involucrata was
divided into six stages (seed, seedling, juvenile, immature, early adult and
late adult) based on the species characteristics and published literature data,
the survival rates in each life-history stage were simulated using a static
life table, and the fecundity of each stage was determined according to sample
information. The results showed that the structure of the observed population
was not ideal, and the numbers of seedlings and coppice shoots was similar. The
population growth rate was influenced largely by individual growth process, and
asexual reproduction made a larger contribution to population growth than sexual reproduction. However, sexual
reproduction was more important than asexual reproduction, because most asexual
reproducing individuals (the coppice shoots) were derived mainly from human destruction
(e.g. felling trees). The most important stage was stage V (late adult),
associated with seed production and germination. Therefore, conservation of Davidia involucrata populations should
focus on stage V and sexual reproduction, in order to improve the seed
production and germination rate, and to promote population stability and
development.