56 



John B. Calhoun 



prepared. These data are shown as a three-point moving average in Fig. 24. 

 There results a continuous decHne in catch until about the 12th day. 

 After this, the daily rate of capture increases, reaching a second maxi- 

 mum five to seven days later. Following this, the number of animals taken 

 continuously declines, but it is not until about the 27th day of removal 

 trapping that the numbers taken per day reaches the low level character- 

 izing the 12th day. 



5 10 15 20 25 30 



DAY OF TRAPPING 



Fig. 24. Removal captures of 559 small mammals who are representatives of species, 

 socially domiuant in their community. Alpha and beta represent the intraspecific domi- 

 nant individuals with large home ranges. The gamma individuals represent the intra- 

 specific subordinates which enlarge their home ranges following removal of the alphas 

 and betas. 



If the assumption that practically all the resident population exposed to 

 the traps is removed diu-ing 30 days of trapping is correct, then the accu- 

 mulated catch plotted as the proportion of the 30-day total over time will 

 reveal both the proportion of the total comprising the initial input and the 

 time at which the secondary input begins (Fig. 25). This shows that the 

 intersection of the two rates of input occurs on day 15 after removal of 

 64% of the resident population. 



