Evaluating environmental, demographic and genetic effects on population‐level survival in an island endemic

• DOI: 10.1111/ecog.01300
• Publication Date: 2015-02-26T03:51:43Z
• Authors: Deni Purwandana; Achmad Ariefiandy; M. Jeri Imansyah; Claudio Ciofi; David M. Forsyth; Andrew M. Gormley; Heru Rudiharto; Aganto Seno; Damien A. Fordham; Graeme Gillespie; Tim S. Jessop
• Keywords: Ungulate; Mark and recapture

The population dynamics of island species are considered particularly sensitive to variation in environmental, demographic and/or genetic processes. However, few studies have attempted evaluate the relative importance these processes for key vital rates endemics. We integrated results long‐term capture–mark–recapture analysis, prey surveys, habitat quality assessments and molecular analysis determine causes survival Komodo dragons Varanus komodoensis at 10 sites on four islands National Park, Indonesia. Using open methods, we ranked competing models that ecological, effects site‐specific dragon rates. Site‐specific ranged from 0.49 (95% CI: 0.33–0.68) 0.92 (0.79–0.97) study sites. three highest‐ranked (i.e. ΔQAIC c < 2) explained ∼70% identified interactions between inbreeding coefficients, biomass density as important explanatory variables. There was evidence additive ecological (e.g. inbreeding) affecting Our indicate maintaining high ungulate would enhance persistence populations. Assisted gene flow may also increase viability smaller