Postrecruitment Processes in the Ecology of Coral Reef Fish Populations: A Multifactorial Perspective

Jones, Geoff

doi:10.1016/b978-0-08-092551-6.50016-7

Cited by 302 publications

(289 citation statements)

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“…A similar pattern has been shown for Dungeness crabs C. magister . As most organisms grow, they become more predator-resistant (Connell 1975, Jones 1991, Moreno 1995. Our observations show that large crabs and lobsters in all types of habitats are less cryptic and less vulnerable to predation.…”

Section: Several Ecological Studies On Homarus Americanusmentioning

confidence: 63%

Different early post-settlement strategies between American lobsters Homarus americanus and rock crabs Cancer irroratus in the Gulf of Maine

Palma¹,

Wahle²,

Steneck³

1998

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The abundance of many invertebrates with planktonic larval stages can be determined shortly after they reach the benthos. In this study, we quantified patterns of abundance and habitat utilization of early benthic phases of the American lobster Homarr~s americanus and the rock crab Cancer irroratus. These 2 decapods are among the most common and abundant macroinvertebrates in coastal zones of the Gulf of Maine, with similar densities of larger individuals. Settlement and early postsettlement survival indicate that lobsters are highly substrate-specific early in life, settling predominantly in cobble beds. Crabs appear to be less selective, settling both in cobble and sand. Cumulative settlement of crabs, inferred from weekly censuses over the summer, was an order of magnitude greater than that of lobsters over the same time period. However, only crabs showed significant postsettlement losses. Although the identity of specific predators is unknown, predator exclusion experiments and placement of vacant uninhabited nursery habitat suggested that post-settlement mortality rather than emigration was respons~ble for these losses. The selectlve habitat-seeking behavior and lower post-settlement mortality of lobsters is consistent with their lower fecundity and later onset of reproductive maturity. The patterns observed for crabs, however, suggest a different strategy which is more in accordance with their hlgher fecundity and earlier onset of maturity. It is possible that lower fecundity but greater per-egg investment, along with strict habitat selection at settlement and lower post-settlement mortality, allows adult lobster populations to equal adult populations of crabs. This occurs despite crabs being more fecund and less habitat-selective settlers but sustaining higher postsettlement mortality.KEY WORDS: Settlement -Early post-settlement . Predation . Mortality -S u~v o r s h i p . Substrate type .

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Section: Several Ecological Studies On Homarus Americanusmentioning

confidence: 63%

Different early post-settlement strategies between American lobsters Homarus americanus and rock crabs Cancer irroratus in the Gulf of Maine

Palma¹,

Wahle²,

Steneck³

1998

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…A previous study showed that intraspecific interactions between P. amboinensis recruits indirectly influenced mortality and the intensity of interactions between individuals were affected by habitat [21]. Previous tests between ecologically similar reef fishes have found effects on growth rather than on mortality (reviewed by [15,42,43]). Intraspecific [21] and interspecific interactions involving P. amboinensis both indirectly lead to enhanced mortality through aggression of dominant individuals, forcing subordinates into areas of greater risk.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lethal effects of habitat degradation on fishes through changing competitive advantage

McCormick

2012

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Coral bleaching has caused catastrophic changes to coral reef ecosystems around the world with profound ecological, social and economic repercussions. While its occurrence is predicted to increase in the future, we have little understanding of mechanisms that underlie changes in the fish community associated with coral degradation. The present study uses a field-based experiment to examine how the intensity of interference competition between juveniles of two species of damselfish changes as healthy corals degrade through thermal bleaching. The mortality of a damselfish that is a live coral specialist (Pomacentrus moluccensis) increased on bleached and dead coral in the presence of the habitat generalist (Pomacentrus amboinensis). Increased mortality of the specialist was indirectly owing to enhanced aggression by the generalist forcing the specialist higher up and further away from shelter on bleached and dead coral. Evidence from this study stresses the importance of changing interspecific interactions to community dynamics as habitats change.

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“…Understanding the biotic and abiotic parameters that affect recruitment is currently a major focus of marine ecologists and resource managers seeking to explain and predict population fluctuations and shifts in community structure. Research on population regulation and recruitment of fishes in coral reef ecosystems has focused on several primary processes: (1) feeding, survival and growth of pelagic larvae; (2) settlement to demersal or benthic habitats; and (3) post-settlement survival and growth (see recent reviews by Doherty 1991, Jones 1991, Leis 1991, and Victor 1991. Each of these processes may constitute a 'bottleneck' in recruitment that limits population size; different processes may act as bottlenecks on different species or in different years.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Onshore transport of settlement-stage Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus and other fishes in Exuma Sound, Bahamas

Shenker¹,

Maddox²,

Wishinski³

et al. 1993

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

109

116

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ABSTRACT. The movement of settlement-stage fishes from the pelagic environment of Exuma Sound, Bahamas, to shallow nursery areas on the Great Bahamas Bank was monitored for 75 d during winter 1990-1991 Fishes were collected with channel nets suspended in tidal passes between islands on the edge of Exuma Sound. Large-scale movement of fishes through the channels was restricted to flood tides that occurred during dark, moonless times of the night; very little movement was observed during the day, on ebb tides, or on moonlit nights. Many of the dominant taxa (e.g. leptocephali, Bothdae) recruited on dark nights throughout the study period, with peak onshore movement on nights when winds and currents had strong cross-shelf components of motion. Other taxa had very short, dscrete recruitment pulses associated with specific environmental events; 86 % of the total annual recruitment of Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus occurred during a single 4 d storm that triggered extensive cross-shelf movement of water, while another 10 % of the recruitment occurred during a second storm event. This reliance on unpredictable storm events to drive local recruitment suggests that short-term variabihty in wind-driven currents is a possible mechanism behind the significant interannual variability of many fish species.

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Postrecruitment Processes in the Ecology of Coral Reef Fish Populations: A Multifactorial Perspective

Cited by 302 publications

References 0 publications

Different early post-settlement strategies between American lobsters Homarus americanus and rock crabs Cancer irroratus in the Gulf of Maine

Different early post-settlement strategies between American lobsters Homarus americanus and rock crabs Cancer irroratus in the Gulf of Maine

Lethal effects of habitat degradation on fishes through changing competitive advantage

Onshore transport of settlement-stage Nassau grouper Epinephelus striatus and other fishes in Exuma Sound, Bahamas

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