title: The evolutionary demography of ecological change: linking trait variation and population growth.
abstract: Population dynamics and evolutionary change are linked by the fundamental biological processes of birth and death. This means that population growth may correlate with the strength of selection, whereas evolutionary change can leave an ecological signature. We decompose population growth in an age-structured population into contributions from variation in a quantitative trait. We report that the distribution of body sizes within a population of Soay sheep can markedly influence population dynamics, accounting for up to one-fifth of observed population growth. Our results suggest that there is substantial opportunity for evolutionary dynamics to leave an ecological signature and visa versa.
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Centre for Population Biology, Imperial College London, Silwood Park, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7PY, UK.
authors.forename: Fanie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pelletier
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clutton-Brock
authors.forename: Josephine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pemberton
authors.forename: Shripad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tuljapurkar
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coulson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001724:Birth Weight; D049628:Body Size / Q000235:genetics; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics; D004463:Ecology; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011158:Population Growth; D019655:Quantitative Trait, Heritable; D012606:Scotland; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D012756:Sheep / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D014887:Weather