What is "depensation"

In population dynamics, depensation is the effect on a population (such as a fish stock) whereby, due to certain causes, a decrease in the breeding population (mature individuals) leads to reduced production and survival of eggs or offspring. The causes may include:

• predation levels rising per offspring (given the same level of overall predator pressure), or
• the allee effect, particularly the reduced likelihood of finding a mate.

Although depensation is often considered in relation to the population being harvested (especially fish), the actual level of harvesting, by definition, is not part of depensation.