Sensitivity analysis in periodic matrix models: A postscript to Caswell and Trevisan
Periodic matrix population models are a useful approach to modelling cyclic variations in demographic rates. Caswell and Trevisan [1] introduced the perturbation analysis (sensitivities and elasticities) of the per-cycle population growth rate for such models. Although powerful, their method can be time-consuming when the dimension of the matrices is large or when cycles are composed of many phases. We present a more efficient method, based on a very simple matrix product. We compared the two methods for matrices of different sizes. We observed a reduction in calculation time on the order of 24% with the new method for a set of 26 within-year Leslie matrices of size 287 x 287. The time saving may become particularly significant when sensitivities are used in Monte Carlo or bootstrap simulations. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
sensitivity periodic matrix models elasticity population growth rate population dynamics