Population Fluctuations in Rodents

“Charles J. Krebs has been a major force in the study of mammalian population dynamics since about 1964. With characteristic boldness and zeal, he synthesizes much of the massive literature on this topic with emphasis on voles and lemmings. Not only does he make an effort to give a balanced treatment of this complex and often contentious topic, but readers will also appreciate his attention to historical context, conceptual issues, and research protocols. Two of his overall conclusions encapsulate the essence of this important contribution: (1) Our striving for generality ‘must be tempered by reality.’ and (2) ‘Ecologists can ignore [rodents], but only at their peril.'”–William Z. Lidicker Jr., University of California, Berkeley

“Cyclic fluctuation in abundance of many rodent populations is a fascinating ecological phenomenon. Despite decades of research resulting in thousands of publications, causes of rodent population cycles largely remain unknown. This volume thoroughly reviews hypotheses proposed to explain rodent population cycles, critically evaluates empirical evidence for or against each hypothesis, and proposes critical studies that could potentially resolve this ecological enigma. This is an outstanding piece of work by one of the best ecologists in the world.”
–Madan Oli, University of Florida

“Population ecology is difficult–the experimental practice, not the theory. And a master practitioner is Charles J. Krebs. He has written a comprehensive, incisive book that examines what we know of both the pattern and the underlying processes of rodent population fluctuations. We have made significant progress in understanding these fluctuations over the last sixty years, in no small measure because of the prodigious research by Krebs, but also because of his penetrating, critical insight into evidence. However, this is not a book that trumpets his own contribution, but rather a balanced overview of the collective endeavor of large numbers of scientists worldwide. The book speaks to the entire audience that seeks to understand the distribution and abundance of species. Krebs critically dissects all hypotheses and evidence, concluding that multifactor explanations are most tenable. His advice: seek generality, but accept reality based on explicit mechanistic hypotheses and rigorous attempts to refute them.”–Rudy Boonstra, University of Toronto Scarborough

“Population Fluctuations in Rodents provides a coherent and systematic approach to the myriad theories and hypotheses concerning the regulating variables of rodent population fluctuations. The book will be required reading for anyone working in this field and will prove particularly beneficial for graduate students entering the realm of small mammal ecology research. . . . With this synthesis work, Krebs has done the scientific community in the field of rodent population fluctuations a great service.”–Robert R. Parmenter, US Department of Agriculture “BioScience”

“[T]his book is an essential acquisition for ecologists interested in studies on or pursuing research in rodent population ecology. Highly recommended.”–R. S. Smith, West Virginia University “Choice”