Dear colleagues

Thanks a lot for making the paper by Smith (1935) accessible to me, which was in turn requested by a good number of MARMAM users.

Once I have been able to pin down the concept of density dependence (in fact sensu density-dependent mortality factors), I am now tracking the original definition of the concept of regulation in the context of population dynamics where it refers to population size self-adjustment, where density dependence might [I am not sure yet] represent the otherwise called return tendency, i.e. mortality rates increasing and birth rates decreasing as population size increases. This is much harder a task since regulation is quite a rather general, easy-to-use term.

The theory of population regulation seems to be attributed to Alexander John Nicholson (see Turchin 2003, p. 5, and others), and in fact the origin of the (still debated, see White 2008) regulation versus limitation controversy is most commonly associated with the exchange of ideas between Nicholson and Herbert Andrewartha at the Cold Spring Harbour Symposium in the 1950’s. I have been able to track two of Nicholson’s seminal publications (Nicholson 1933, 1954), but funnily enough although Nicholson does use the term, no definition is provided.

I have a double request if you can possibly help.

1.- Whether you can point me to a proper reference where I can find or pursue the original definition of regulation.

2.- Whether you have access to the following three old references:

Andrewartha 1957. The use of conceptual models in population ecology.  Cold Spring Harbor Symposium of Quantitative Biology 22, 219-232.

Nicholson 1957. The self-adjustment of populations to change. Cold Spring Harbor Symposium of Quantitative Biology 22, 153-173.

Nicholson and Bailey 1935. The balance of animal populations. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 3, 551-598.

Many thanks… Salva

REFERENCES USED

Nicholson, A. J. 1933. The balance of animal populations. Journal of Animal Ecology 2, 132-178.

Nicholson, A. J. 1954. An outline of the dynamics of animal populations. Australian Journal of Zoology 2, 9-65.

Turchin, P. 2003. Complex population dynamics: a theoretical empirical synthesis. Princeton University Press.

White, T.C.R. 2008.The role of food, weather and climate in limiting the abundance of animals. Biological Review83, 227–248.

From: marmam-bounces@lists.uvic.ca [mailto:marmam-bounces@lists.uvic.ca] On Behalf Of Salvador Herrando-Perez
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2008 5:36 PM
To: marmam@lists.uvic.ca
Subject: [MARMAM] density dependence first use - Smith 1935 paper

Dear colleagues,

I am currently working on a manuscript on density-dependence (DD) detection across taxa. I have been unable to find at my university and from colleagues nearby the old paper by Smith (1935) in which the term DD is used for the first time to define the population regulation negative feedbacks, i.e. Smith 1935. The role of biotic factors in the determination of population densities. Journal of Economic Entomology 28, 873-898.  

If you had it available, I would very much appreciate a pdf copy of this old reference. Many thanks for your time on this request, Salva

Salvador Herrando-Pérez
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
Office phone: +61 8 8303 5254 / Office fax: +61 8 8303 4347 / Mobile phone: +61 406049010
https://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/salvador.herrando-perez