Allee Effects

John M. Drake, Luděk Berec, Andrew M. Kramer

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Allee effect arise when there is a positive association between average individual fitness or per capita population growth rate and population size or density. The dynamical theory of Allee effects makes several empirically testable predictions, pertaining particularly to the establishment and extinction of incipient populations. The evolutionary theory of Allee effects concerns adaptations to living at low densities. This article review the dynamical and evolutionary theory of Allee effects and the evidence for Allee effects in animal, plant, and microbial species.

Original languageAmerican English
Title of host publicationEncyclopedia of Ecology (Second Edition)
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2019

Keywords

  • Allee effect
  • Critical threshold
  • Evolutionary suicide
  • Population dynamics

Disciplines

  • Biology
  • Integrative Biology

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