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Abstract
Warder C. Allee brought attention to the possibility of a positive relationship between
aspects of fitness and population size 50 years ago. Until recently, however, this
concept was generally regarded as an intriguing but relatively unimportant aspect
of population ecology. Increasing appreciation that Allee effects must be incorporated
into models of population dynamics and habitat use, together with recent interest
in the implications of sociality for conservation, have shown that for ecology and
conservation the consequences of the Allee effect are profound. The Allee effect can
be regarded not only as a suite of problems associated with rarity, but also as the
basis of animal sociality.