Population dynamics models commonly used for marine mammal species such as cetacean and pinniped populations are introduced. Given that reproduction, survival and density dependence are crucial components for expressing the dynamics of marine mammals, the age-and-gender structured model is fundamental. The model, however, requires several biological assumptions and parameters to reflect the whole life history. Therefore, some aggregated models such as the production model have also been used to overcome lack of such information and/or achieve robustness of estimated population trajectory to parameters with uncertainty. Some examples for whales and seals are given to show merits and caveats in modelling and estimation of population dynamics.
展开▼
