Assessing critical population thresholds under periodic disturbances

Population responses to repeated environmental or anthropogenic disturbances

depend on complicated interactions between the disturbance regime, population

structure, and differential stage susceptibility. Using a matrix modeling approach,

we develop a methodological framework to explore how the interplay of these factors

impacts critical population thresholds. To illustrate the wide applicability of

this approach, we present two case studies pertaining to agroecosystems and conservation

science. We apply sensitivity analysis to the two case studies to examine

how population and disturbance properties affect these thresholds. Contrasting

outcomes between these two applications, including differences in how factors

such as disturbance intensity and pre-disturbance population distributions impact

population responses, highlight the importance of accounting for demographic

features when performing ecological risk assessments.