Population Regulation of Carnivores
Population Regulation of Carnivores Population regulation is the control of the size of a population. Regulation implies the tendency of a population to achieve or flow to a stable size of equilibrium within a surrounding environment. There are basically three different types of population regulation, density-dependent control and density-independent control, which are external forces and reproduction or stress, which are internal forces. A density-dependent control is one where the effects of the factor is based on the size of the population and depends upon the original density. ... With the population of individuals living close together there is a higher probability of catching the disease than if the individuals had been living farther apart. A density-independent control is one where the effect of the factor does not depend on the original density or size of the population. ... Many times the external forces cause the internal ones such as the effects of stress in reproduction, caused by over population (Dr. ... Winstead, Population Regulation, pg. ... There have been many theories and arguments over what causes population regulation in small carnivores such as the mustelids and large carnivores like the cats or dogs. Food, disease, predation, behavior, genes, and stress have all been brought up to try to explain factors controlling a population. ... With such great distances between them it is seemingly unlikely a disease can control the population. ... So far what is known about the least weasel the biggest effect on their population size can either be predators or territory. Unlike the larger carnivores the least weasel have many predators, like other weasels, hawks, owls, dogs, and cats. The predator-prey relationship has been greatly debated, with many studies showing little change in population size when the predators are removed from an area. It would seem likely that territory has much to do with a size of the population. ... In this case emigration has a lot to do with population regulation. A metapopulation can be formed when the least weasel migrates out and sustained by the continuing over crowding by the source population. ... It has in common with the least weasel in that the food supply is great, where it kills more then it eats, and due to the long distance from other ermine population control for disease is not likely. A combination of three factors can regulate the ermine population; predators, behavior (territory), and delayed implantation, a way of reproduction. ... This may account for a small decline in the percentage of the population, however studies show that it does not make much of an effect in general. ... Gray wolves have a tendency to regulate their own population with dominance and aggression. ... It is unknown if this self-regulation comes from evolution or strict dominance within a pack, but it is something humans have never been able to do.