Stochastic Population Dynamics and Life-History Variation in Marine Fish Species

Abstract

We examined whether differences in life-history characteristics can explain interspecific variation in stochastic population dynamics in nine marine fish species living in the Barents Sea system. After observation errors in population estimates were accounted for, temporal variability in natural mortality rate, annual recruitment, and population growth rate was negatively related to generation time. Mean natural mortality rate, annual recruitment, and population growth rate were lower in long-lived species than in short-lived species. Thus, important species-specific characteristics of the population dynamics were related to the species position along the slow-fast continuum of life-history variation. These relationships were further associated with interspecific differences in ecology: species at the fast end were mainly pelagic, with short generation times and high natural mortality, annual recruitment, and population growth rates, and also showed high temporal variability in those demographic traits. In contrast, species at the slow end were long-lived, deepwater species with low rates and reduced temporal variability in the same demographic traits. These interspecific relationships show that the life-history characteristics of a species can predict basic features of interspecific variation in population dynamical characteristics of marine fish, which should have implications for the choice of harvest strategy to facilitate sustainable yields.

Interactions between species attributes explain population dynamics in stream fishes under changing climate

“…This result contrasts with previous studies that considered a linear continuum of life‐history strategies (Saether and Engen , Bjørkvoll et al. ), and may be explained by the fact that life‐history strategies in teleost fishes are best described by a triangular model (Winemiller ). According to this model, species with a high fecundity are “periodic” strategists, leaving in periodic, yet predictable environments that favor the establishment of density‐dependent processes.…”

Ten principles from evolutionary ecology essential for effective marine conservation

“…Recent meta‐analyses of marine fishes have demonstrated that the life‐history traits of a population or species determine its ability to cope with this environmental variability, as well as to compensate for increased death rates due to human activity (Bjørkvoll et al. ; Juan‐Jordá et al. ).…”

Post‐catastrophe patterns of abundance and survival reveal no evidence of population recovery in a long‐lived animal

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