Predicting Time-specific Changes In Demographic Processes Using Remote-sensing Data. (2006)

1. Models of wildlife population dynamics are crucial for sustainable utilization and?management strategies. Fluctuating ecological conditions are often key factors influencing both carrying capacity, mortality and reproductive rates in ungulates. To be reliable, demographic models should preferably rely on easily obtainable variables that are?directly linked to the ecological processes regulating a population. 2. We compared the explanatory power of rainfall, a commonly used proxy for variability?in ecological conditions, with normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI), a remote-sensing index value that is a more direct measure of vegetation productivity, to predict time-specific conception rates of an elephant population in northern Kenya.?Season-specific conception rates were correlated with both quality measures.