Vicuña are ungulate herbivores related to llamas that occupy high mountain grasslands in the Andes. They are valued for their wool. Overhunting led to global population declines from millions in the 1500s to thousands in the mid 1900s. Lauca National Park was established in Chile in 1970 and banned hunting of vicuña. Researchers used census data (solid circles) to fit the population dynamics, and evaluated two models: one in which the carrying capacity was fixed over time (“Logistic Constant K”, dashed line), and one in which the carrying capacity could vary over time (“Logistic Variable K”, solid line). See attached image The researchers found that rainfall ~4 years prior was a good predictor of the population size of vicuña in a given year. Is rainfall four years before 1990 likely to be lower than average or higher than average? Why?
Vicuña are ungulate herbivores related to llamas that occupy high mountain grasslands in the Andes. They are valued for their wool. Overhunting led to global population declines from millions in the 1500s to thousands in the mid 1900s.
Lauca National Park was established in Chile in 1970 and banned hunting of vicuña. Researchers used census data (solid circles) to fit the population dynamics, and evaluated two models: one in which the
See attached image
The researchers found that rainfall ~4 years prior was a good predictor of the
Step by step
Solved in 3 steps
