The Density-dependent Relationship
The instant study Crete, (1989) focuses on the density dependency relationship between moose and deciduous twigs on the focus region of Eastern Quebec. The study relies on the hypothesis that moose within the region feed exclusively on fresh deciduous twigs. Therefore, the ability of the plants to thrive in that area is directly proportional to the volume of fresh deciduous twigs available throughout the year.
Collection of Data about Density Dependence
There is two main variables regarding Density dependence in Crete (1989). The first is the foliage utilization capacity of the average moose found within the region. Whereas moose feed throughout the year, the most important foliage utilization data was for winter, when availability to foliage is at its lowest. The study team estimated foliage consumption through estimation by observing select adult moose over two years, 1984 and 1985. The second is the per-unit production capacity of fresh deciduous twigs in the region. The study team used a two-stage sampling procedure estimation method to collect data about the production rate of fresh deciduous twigs per unit kilometer.
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Nature of the Study
The study reported in Crete (1989) was an amalgamation of mixed study methods that combined both qualitative and quantitative studies. Further, the study was both observational and experimental. For example, estimating the production rate of foliage in the focus region was observatory as the study team did not interfere with the foliage. On the other hand, the estimation of the feeding capacity of moose was quasi-experimental as the study group moved the moose to a secluded area for two years. Finally, the population dependency process focused on field animals as in spite of the movement of moose, and they still remained in the wild.
Determination of the Density-dependent Factor
The determination of density-dependent factors for herbals is among the most complicated areas of primary study. However, a careful evaluation of Crete (1989) reveals that the researchers convincingly determined the density-dependent factor between moose and fresh deciduous twigs. Ordinarily, moose can feed in a variety of foliage; however, the target area of study, eastern Quebec, experiences extreme cold during winter. The extreme weather rules out other sources of foliage except for resilient plants such as the deciduous trees (Hou et al., 2018). Based on a balance of probabilities, it is possible to make a convincing argument that the availability of deciduous shoots is the dependent factor for moose in an area since it is the only food available for moose in winter.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study was to apply a more scientific method to the process of establishing the carrying capacity of moose for a particular region. Other methods of establishing carrying capacity depended on the head-counting of moose, a process that may lack accuracy due to the capacity for moose to migrate from place to place. Further, determining the carrying capacity through headcount only limits the results to the time of the year when researchers count the moose. The study sought to determine if it was possible to establish carrying capacity through the availability of food.
Reflection of the Strength of the Argument/Evidence in Crete, (1989)
I find the hypothesis used in Crete (1989) as credible since animal carrying capacity is primary about food in an area that experiences regular food shortages. In Quebec, food is abundant for herbivorous animals for most of the year. However, in high winter, there is an extreme shortage of food, a fact that creates a bottleneck regarding carrying capacity (Hoy et al., 2019). Further, the evidence collection process was relatively credible due to the complex nature of the study. The researchers took over six years to undertake the process in an effort to generate the right evidence to prove their hypothesis.
The Important Figure from the Article that Shows Density Dependence
References
Crete, M. (1989). Approximation of K carrying capacity for moose in eastern Quebec. Canadian Journal of Zoology , 67 (2), 373-380.
Hou, R., He, S., Wu, F., Chapman, C. A., Pan, R., Garber, P. A., ... & Li, B. (2018). Seasonal variation in diet and nutrition of the northern‐most population of Rhinopithecus roxellana. American journal of primatology , 80 (4), e22755.
Hoy, S. R., Vucetich, J. A., Liu, R., DeAngelis, D. L., Peterson, R. O., Vucetich, L. M., & Henderson, J. J. (2019). Negative frequency‐dependent foraging behaviour in a generalist herbivore (Alces alces) and its stabilizing influence on food web dynamics. Journal of Animal Ecology , 88 (9), 1291-1304.
