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Selective mortality of a coral reef damselfish: role of predator–competitor synergisms

  • Community Ecology - Original Paper
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Abstract

Phenotypic variability within cohorts of juvenile organisms can serve as the basis for selective mortality. Previous studies have demonstrated the important role that predators play in this process but not the impact of competitors on selective predation. We use a combination of lab and field studies to evaluate the effect of the presence of adult competitor damselfish (Dascyllus aruanus and Pomacentrus moluccensis; family Pomacentridae) on the selective mortality of newly-arrived (settled) lemon damselfish (P. moluccensis) by resident predator fishes (Pseudochromis fuscus Pseudochromidae and Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus Apogonidae). Lab trials consisted of mesocosm experiments in which the behaviour, mortality, and physiological condition (measured as lipid content) of surviving P. moluccensis settlers from each of three treatments: (1) predators absent, (2) predators present, and (3) predators and competitors present, were compared. The field study involved stocking newly settled P. moluccensis on natural bommies (patch reefs) which had either been subject to a partial removal of resident fish (predators and competitors) or left alone. Results indicated there was very strong condition-based selective mortality in both the lab and field trials. In both cases there was a strong positive relationship between mortality and the lipid content of surviving fish; implying low-condition fish were selectively removed. The mesocosm trials indicated that the strength of mortality as well as condition selectivity was higher when competitors were present than when they were absent. Behavioural observations in the mesocosm study suggest that attention by juvenile P. moluccensis to the movements and occasional chases of the competitors (especially D. aruanus) reduced their vigilance to the predators. These results suggest the important and interactive roles which condition of newly settled reef fish and interspecific competition can play in the outcomes of post-settlement predation.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank P. Biro and C. Beckmann for assistance with field collections, S. Vandenbergh for help fabricating the mesocosm and G. Almany and three anonymous reviewers for their comments which have served to greatly improve this manuscript. This work was funded by an ARC Discovery Grant (DP0560005) to D. J. B. and conducted under permit from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (G05/13485.1) and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries (PRM38983H). This is the Sydney Institute of Marine Sciences (SIMS) contribution number 0010.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Sciences, Institute for Water and Environmental Resource Management, University of Technology, Sydney, P.O. Box 123, Broadway, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia

    Will F. Figueira, David J. Booth & Marcus A. Gregson

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  1. Will F. Figueira
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  2. David J. Booth
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  3. Marcus A. Gregson
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Correspondence to Will F. Figueira.

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Communicated by Roland Brandl.

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Figueira, W.F., Booth, D.J. & Gregson, M.A. Selective mortality of a coral reef damselfish: role of predator–competitor synergisms. Oecologia 156, 215–226 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-008-0985-2

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