Relationship between a disease, host density and mortality in a free-living deer population
(1) Disease is often viewed as a density-dependent factor expected to limit population numbers, but field evidence from mammals is generally lacking. (2) Mandibular swellings in reindeer on South Georgia provide an example of a disease whose frequency of occurrence is correlated with host density. (3) The disease acts as a contributory cause of mortality by reducing the body condition of reindeer