Dispersal and settling of translocated populations: a general study and a New Zealand amphibian case study

Abstract

Translocations are widely used to reintroduce threatened species to areas where they have disappeared. A continuum multi-species model framework describing dispersal and settling of translocated animals is developed. A variety of different dispersal and settling mechanisms, which may depend on local population density and/or a pheromone produced by the population, are considered. Steady state solutions are obtained using numerical techniques for each combination of dispersal and settling mechanism and for both single and double translocations at the same location. Each combination results in a different steady state population distribution and the distinguishing features are identified. In a..