Dec. 11 (UPI) -- New research suggests reproductive success, not survival rates, is the most important factor for predicting the longterm population health of slow-growing species like bears and dolphins.
Scientists at the University of New South Wales conducted a survey of dolphin studies in Australia and bear studies in North America. Their analysis of population forecasting efforts -- detailed this week in the Journal of Applied Ecology -- showed rates of reproduction best predict the population's longterm viability.