The relationship between propagule pressure and establishment success in alien bird populations: a re-analysis of Moulton & Cropper (2019)

PeerJ

article

Tim M. Blackburn¹  Phillip Cassey³  Julie L. Lockwood⁴  Richard P. Duncan⁵ 

[1] Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, University College London;Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London;Centre for Applied Conservation Science, and School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide;Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, Rutgers University;Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra

关键词: Alien;    Bird;    Establishment;    Propagule Pressure;    Small Population Problem;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.8766

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

A recent analysis by Moulton & Cropper (2019) of a global dataset on alien bird population introductions claims to find no evidence that establishment success is a function of the size of the founding population. Here, we re-analyse Moulton & Cropper’s data and show that this conclusion is based on flawed statistical methods—their data in fact confirm a strong positive relationship between founding population size and establishment success. We also refute several non-statistical arguments against the likelihood of such an effect presented by Moulton & Cropper. We conclude that a core tenet of population biology—that small populations are more prone to extinction—applies to alien populations beyond their native geographic range limits as much as to native populations within them.

【 授权许可】

CC BY