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Detection of density-dependent growth and fecundity of helminths in natural infections

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

A. W. Shostak  and
M. E. Scott
A. W. Shostak
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
M. E. Scott
Affiliation:
Institute of Parasitology, Macdonald Campus of McGill University, 21 111 Lakeshore Road, Ste-Anne de Bellevue, Québec H9X 1C0, Canada
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Summary

Density-dependent constraints on parasite growth, survival or reproduction are thought to be important in preventing the unchecked increase in parasite numbers within individual hosts or host populations. While it is important to know where, and with what severity, density dependence is acting within the parasite life-cycle, interpretation of data from natural infections is difficult. In this paper, we present a Monte Carlo simulation technique for examining such data for evidence of density dependence. We also describe how this technique may be used to distinguish among mechanisms hypothesized to generate density-dependent phenomena.

Keywords

density dependencefecunditygrowthmodels
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 106 , Issue 5 , June 1993 , pp. 527 - 539
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1993

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