Article
Article
Population viability
Article By:
LeBuhn, Gretchen Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.
Miller, Thomas E. Department of Biological Sciences, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida.
Last reviewed:January 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.757600
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- Population viability, published June 2014:Download PDF
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The ability of a population to persist and to avoid extinction. Population viability is an important facet of conservation biology. The viability of a population will increase or decrease in response to changes in the rates of birth, death, and growth of individuals. In natural populations, these rates are not stable, but undergo fluctuations due to external forces, such as hurricanes and invasive (introduced) species, and internal forces, such as competition and genetic composition. Such factors can drive populations to extinction if they are severe or if several detrimental events occur before the population can recover (see illustration). See also: Conservation of species; Ecology; Extinction; Population ecology
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