title: The spatial dimension in population fluctuations
abstract: Theoretical research into the dynamics of coupled populations has suggested a rich ensemble of spatial structures that are created and maintained either by external disturbances or self-reinforcing interactions among the populations. Long-term data of the Canadian lynx from eight Canadian provinces display large-scale spatial synchrony in population fluctuations. The synchronous dynamics are not time-invariant, however, as pairs of populations that are initially in step may drift out of phase and back into phase. These observations are in agreement with predictions of a spatially-linked population model and support contemporary population ecology theory.
authors.affiliation: E. Ranta, Integrative Ecology Unit, Division of Population Biology, Department of Ecology and Systematics, University of Helsinki, Post Office Box 17 (Arkadiankatu 7), FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland. V. Kaitala, Department of Biological and Environm.
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ranta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kaitala
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lundberg