Contributed Paper
Reexamining the Minimum Viable Population Concept for Long-Lived Species
Article first published online: 4 MAR 2013
DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12028
© 2013 Society for Conservation
Biology
Issue
Conservation Biology
Abstract
For decades conservation biologists have proposed general rules of thumb for
minimum viable population size (MVP); typically, they range from hundreds to
thousands of individuals. These rules have shifted conservation resources away
from small and fragmented populations. We examined whether iteroparous,
long-lived species might constitute an exception to general MVP guidelines. On
the basis of results from a 10-year capture-recapture study in eastern New York
(U.S.A.), we developed a comprehensive demographic model for the globally threatened
bog turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii), which is
designated as endangered by the IUCN in 2011. We assessed population viability
across a wide range of initial abundances and carrying capacities. Not accounting
for inbreeding, our results suggest that bog turtle colonies with as few as 15
breeding females have >90% probability of persisting for >100 years,
provided vital rates and environmental variance remain at currently estimated
levels. On the basis of our results, we suggest that MVP thresholds may be 1–2
orders of magnitude too high for many long-lived organisms. Consequently,
protection of small and fragmented populations may constitute a viable
conservation option for such species, especially in a regional or metapopulation
context.
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Current address: Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, 650 Life Sciences Bldg., Stony Brook, NY 11794, U.S.A., email kevintshoemaker@gmail.com
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Current address: 29 Fiddlehead Lane, Altamont, NY 12009, U.S.A.
