Spatial and Age-Structured Population Model of the American Crocodile for Comparisons of CERP Restoration Alternatives

To adequately understand crocodile populations and model population growth, existing data must be assembled and model parameters estimated. A simulation model can then be constructed and validated both with existing data and through expert opinion. A crocodile population model to simulate the south Florida ecosystem under varying management strategies is vital to evaluating and assessing restoration success under CERP.

The objectives of this project are to:

1. Build an age and spatially structured crocodile population model suitable for comparison of CERP restoration alternatives.
2. Couple the local age-structured models into a spatial dispersal model incorporating crocodile movement behavior.
3. Use spatial parameter maps from the Florida Everglades as driving functions on the spatially structured model and to construct crocodile finite rate of increase maps under different management regimes.
4. Perform sensitivity analysis on the model parameters, and release model concept and code for peer-review.