Evidence for transient dynamics in plant populations based on long‐term demographic data

摘要: Summary Recent interest in the importance of short-term, transient responses population dynamics has prompted development many new methods for describing models. Many these focus on largest possible a model, thus providing description ‘transient potential’ model that does not depend knowledge initial conditions population. This study uses long-term demographic data from five perennial plant species to evaluate how well measures potential reflect actual populations. I used previously published matrix models create set derived empirically-based simulations each Maximum within this were then compared with potential. Transient based empirical modeling results smaller than potential. Realized strongly correlated distance between current structure and asymptotically stable stage (SSD). Theoretical was predictive amount variation SSD observed simulations. Synthesis. Methods tend overemphasize role dynamics. These suggest traditional, asymptotic analyses may be appropriate cases. Measures can helpful identifying situations prone larger responses, but do necessarily indicate are more important those systems.