Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Density- and size-dependent mortality of a settling coral-reef damselfish (Pomacentrus moluccensis Bleeker)

  • Population Ecology
  • Published:
Oecologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Density-dependent mortality may regulate many populations, but due to an offshore larval phase in benthic marine organisms, it is often difficult to quantify the effects of mortality of arriving individuals. We added approximately 600 recruit-sized individuals onto coral reef that parallels patterns in naturally settling fish. Strong, positive density-dependent mortality occurred 3 days, 1–2 weeks, and 4 months after release. Since our study species was patchily distributed, we estimated both mean group size and overall density in a transect. Mortality was more strongly related to mean group size than overall density in a transect, indicating that recruit patchiness was important. Cohesive groups may suffer higher mortality than those spread over larger areas, even if overall density of the latter is greater. Aggregative responses of predators may occur in response to larger groups, so may have contributed to positive density-dependent mortality. Increased conspicuousness to predators and congeneric aggression are additional factors that may vary positively with group size. Tagging of recruits showed migration within but not between transects, so persistence was tantamount to survival. Standard otolith back-calculation techniques employed to reconstruct original size of tagged recruits that persisted 4 months after additions indicated that mortality was also size-dependent. Size-dependent mortality was apparent at the site with the highest mortality but not at the site with the lowest mortality, resulting in different mean body sizes of recruits between sites. Size-dependent mortality may influence estimation of growth and lead to onset of size-based maturity in these fish. Strong, positive density-dependent mortality may regulate recruitment, and if coupled with size-dependent mortality, may increase maturity rate, adding to reproductive schedules of those that survive.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3. a
Fig. 4a, b.
Fig. 5a, b.
Fig. 6.
Fig. 7a, b.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anderson TW (2001) Predator responses, prey refuges, and density-dependent mortality of a marine fish. Ecology 82:245–257

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrewartha HG, Birch LC (1954) The distribution and abundance of animals. University of Chicago Press, Chicago

  • Ault TR, Johnson CR (1998) Spatially and temporally predictable fish communities on coral reefs. Ecol Monogr 68:25–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Beukers JS, Jones GP, Buckley RM (1995) Use of implant microtags for studies on populations of small reef fish. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 125:61–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Boeve J-L (1990) Gregarious field distribution and defence in the sawfly larvae croesus-varus and Croesus-septentrionalis hymenoptera tenthredinidae. Oecologia 85:440–446

    Google Scholar 

  • Booth DJ (1995) Juvenile groups in a coral-reef damselfish: density-dependent effects on individual fitness and population demography. Ecology 76:91–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Booth DJ, Brosnan DM (1995) The role of recruitment dynamics in rocky shores and coral reef fish communities. Adv Ecol Res 26:309–385

    Google Scholar 

  • Booth DJ, Kingsford MJ, Doherty PJ, Berretta GA (2000) Recruitment of damselfishes in One Tree Island lagoon: persistent interannual spatial patterns. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 202:219–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Caley MJ, Carr MH, Hixon MA, Hughes TP, Jones GP, Menge BA (1996) Recruitment and the local dynamics of open marine populations. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 27:477–500

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campana SE (1990) How reliable are growth back-calculations based on otoliths? Can J Fish Aquat Sci 47:2219–2227

    Google Scholar 

  • Campana SE, Neilson JD (1985) Microstructure of fish otoliths. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 41:1014–1032

    Google Scholar 

  • Chase JM, Abrams PA, Grover JP, Diehl S, Chesson P, Holt RD, Richards SA, Nisbet RM, Case TJ (2002) The interaction between predation and competition: a review and synthesis. Ecology 5:302–315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Connell SD (2000) Is there safety-in-numbers for prey? Oikos 88:527–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa JT (1997) Caterpillars as social insects. Am Sci 85:150–159

    Google Scholar 

  • Doherty PJ (1980) Biological and physical constraints on the populations of two sympatric territorial damselfishes on the southern Great Barrier Reef. PhD Thesis, University of Sydney

  • Doherty PJ (1982) Some effects of density on the juveniles of two species of tropical, territorial damselfish. J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 65:249–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doherty PJ, Williams DMcB (1988) The replenishment of coral reef fish populations. Ocean Mar Biol Annu Rev 26:487–551

    Google Scholar 

  • Forrester GE (1990) Factors influencing the juvenile demography of a coral reef fish population. Ecology 71:1666–1681

    Google Scholar 

  • Frederick JL (1997) Post-settlement movement of coral reef fishes and bias in survival estimates. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 150:65–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Gaines S, Roughgarden J (1985) Larval settlement rate: a leading determinant of structure in an ecological community of the marine intertidal zone. Proc Natl Atl Acad Sci 82:3707–3711

    Google Scholar 

  • Hixon MA, Carr MH (1997) Synergistic predation, density dependence, and population regulation in marine fish. Science 277:946–949

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hixon MA, Webster MS (2002) Density dependence in reef fish populations. In: Sale PF (ed) Coral reef fishes. Dynamics and diversity in a complex ecosystem. Academic, San Diego, pp 303–325

  • Hixon MA, Pacala SW, Sandin SA (2002) Population regulation: historical context and contemporary challenges of open vs. closed systems. Ecology 86:1490–1508

    Google Scholar 

  • Holbrook SJ, Schmitt RJ (2002) Competition for shelter space causes density-dependent predation mortality in damselfishes. Ecology 83:2855–2868

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones GP (1987) Competitive interactions among adult and juveniles in a coral reef fish. Ecology 68:1534–1547

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause J, Godin JJ-G (1995) Predator preferences for attacking prey group sizes: consequences for predator hunting success and prey predation risk. Anim Behav 50:465–473

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levin PS (1998) The significance of variable and density-independent post-recruitment mortality in local populations of reef fishes. Aust J Ecol 23:246–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis AR (1997) Recruitment and post-recruit immigration affect the local population size of coral reef fishes. Coral Reefs 16:139–149

    Google Scholar 

  • Ludington CA (1979) Tidal modifications and associated circulation in a platform reef lagoon. Aust J Mar Freshwater Res 30:425–430

    Google Scholar 

  • Mapstone B (1988) The determinants of patterns in the abundance and distribution of Pomacentrus moluccensis Bleeker on the southern Great Barrier Reef. PhD Thesis, University of Sydney

  • Murdoch WW (1994) Population regulation in theory and practice. Ecology 75:271–287

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson AJ (1933) The balance of animal populations. J Anim Ecol 2:132–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicholson AJ (1954) An outline of the dynamics of animal populations. Aust J Zool 2:9–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Sale PF, Tolimieri (2000) Density dependence at some time and place? Oecologia 124:166–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steele MA (1998) The relative importance of predation and competition in two reef fishes. Oecologia 115:222–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thresher RE (1983) Habitat effects on reproductive success in the coral reef fish Acanthochromis-polyacanthus pomacentridae. Ecology 64:1184–1199

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner RR, Chesson PL (1985) Coexistence mediated by recruitment fluctuations: a field guide to the storage effect. Am Nat 125:767–787

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams DMcB (1983) Daily, monthly, and yearly variability in recruitment of a guild of coral reef fishes. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 10:231–237

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson EO (1975) Sociobiology: the new synthesis. Belknap, Cambridge, Mass

Download references

Acknowledgements

This paper was improved by the comments of Geoff MacFarlane, Sean Connell, and Jeff Leis. We thank Ralph Alquezar and Gigi Beretta for their field assistance. Many thanks are also due to Tom Trnski and Judy Upston for their earlier support and discussion. This study was funded by an Australian Research Council grant to D.J.B.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Environmental Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Westbourne Street, NSW 2065, Gore Hill, Australia

    Benjamin J. Brunton & David J. Booth

Authors
  1. Benjamin J. Brunton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. David J. Booth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Benjamin J. Brunton.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Brunton, B.J., Booth, D.J. Density- and size-dependent mortality of a settling coral-reef damselfish (Pomacentrus moluccensis Bleeker). Oecologia 137, 377–384 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-003-1377-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-003-1377-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation