Dynamic stability of communities of amphibians in short-term-flooded forest ecosystems

• Main Authors: O. V. Zhukov, N. L. Gubanova
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oles Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University 2015-09-01
• Series: Vìsnik Dnìpropetrovsʹkogo Unìversitetu: Serìâ Bìologìâ, Ekologìâ
• Subjects: динаміка популяцій; стаціонарний стан; Bufo bufo; Bombina bombina; Rana arvalis; Pelobates fuscus
• Online Access: http://ecology.dp.ua/index.php/ECO/article/view/616
• ISSN: 2310-0842; 2312-301X

The estimation of stability of amphibian populations on the basis of data of population dynamics is given. The paper shows an attempt to estimate the direction of dynamic changes of amphibian populations, and defines the rate of the system deviation from the stationary state due to possible influence of the environmental factors by using concepts such as reactivity, degree of reactivity and flexibility of the system when using their indexes. It is found that populations of amphibians are quite stable with regard to quantifying these species. Characteristic feature is the elasticity of the system. It is confirmed by the elasticity of the system species Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758). TypePelobates fuscus (Laurenti, 1768) is defined as a factor of stability of the system in quantitative terms. Dependenceof dynamics of the population on its size is established using the regression equation. Dynamics of groups depends on the action of possible predictors in response to which the population of B. bufo is not changed. The ecosystem is characterized as a place of interaction between biotic factors and factors of abiotic origin, which are due to the external action. Internal factor of the ecosystem stability is the influence of some amphibian populations on the other ones. The system features sustainable and relatively stable number of B. bufo, which does not affect the level of its stability. Stationary state of the grouping is unstable due to dynamic matrix, which describes the behavior of the group in the vicinity of the first stationary state. The second steady state is stableone, and the system returns to the stationary state with the help of wave-like dynamics. On the basis of our study it is established that the number of groups of amphibians remains stable, the systems behave differently, and dynamics of their return to the stationary state is elastic or reactive one. Еcosystems within lime-ash oak forests in the Central floodplain of the Samarariver represent relatively stable populations of amphibians. The constant number of individuals in the population confirms stability of the ecosystem. The regression equation indicates the dependence of the dynamic performance of the system on the number of amphibians.