Definition of Term

depensatory

(English) Mortality is depensatory when its rate (i.e. the proportion of population affected) increases as the size of the population decreases. Reproduction is less successful at low population densities, e.g. caused by the difficulty in finding mates, and this too is called depensation. Compare compensatory mortality where the mortality rate decreases as the population size decreases. (See also: depensation)

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