Population dynamics of a long-lived pitviper inferred from capture-recapture data spanning four decades

Long-term studies of plant and animal populations are rare, particularly for long-lived species with slow life histories. However, such studies are necessary to understand how variation in vital rates affects population dynamics. We used a large capture-recapture dataset spanning four decades (1983–2019) to estimate several population parameters for adult females in a metapopulation of a long-lived North American pitviper (Timber Rattlesnake, Crotalus horridus) near the northern extent of the species’ geographic range. Apparent survival (ϕ, hereafter, survival) estimates were variable (0.595–0.938) among years but generally high, whereas the annual recruitment rate (f) was low (0.102, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.088–0.117). Survival increased by a quadratic function of the mean mass of the adult female population, resulting in survival increasing with this temporally varying population-level covariate until the population average reached approximately 768 g; survival decreased with ..., , # Data from: Population dynamics of a long-lived pitviper inferred from capture-recapture data spanning four decades

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. Author Information Name: Dr. Sasha J. Tetzlaff*, [https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5889-6573](https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5889-6573)
Institution: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center, Champaign, Illinois, USA.
Co-investigator 1
Name: Dr. Eric T. Hileman*, [https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7044-370X](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7044-370X)
Institution: West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.
Co-investigator 2
Name: Matthew G. Simon, Institution: Independent Researcher, Fort Ann, New York, USA.
Co-investigator 3
Name: Dr. Gordon W. Schuett, [https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2133-3723](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2133-3723)
Institution: Chiricahua Desert Museum, Rodeo, New Mexico, USA; Department of Biology, Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Co-in...,