Are large colonies a "key factor" in the dynamics of gorgonian populations?
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| Autor: | |
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| Formato: | artículo original |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de Publicación: | 1998 |
| Descripción: | Life cycle stages responsible for fluctuations in population sizes have often been described as "key factors". In this study, a key factor approach was used to examine the dynamics of a shallow-water gorgonian population from 1983-1996 near La Parguera Gil the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. Gorgonian abundances increased from 8.1 to 99.6 colonies/m2 between 1983 to 1985 and gradually declined to 57.3 colonies/m2 in 1996. These variations in population size are largely attributable to recruitment, which increased from 2.1 to 44.9 colonies/m2 between 1983 to 1985, and declined thereafter. Survival. of recruit colonies which was generally higher after periods of high recruitment also played a contributing role in these population fluctuations. In contrast, survival of large colonies (2:10 cm in height) was essentially constant (about 94.1%/yr), and consequently had negligible effects on variations in abundances. These results demonstrate that large colonies are no! a key factor underlying fluctuations in gorgonian populations. However, this assessment of large colonies differs if the results are examined in a different conceptual context. The combination of high and constant large colony survival, and variable "reproductive success" (recruitment and recruit survival) conforms to the "bet-hedging" interpretation of life history pattern. According to bet-hedging theory, large colonies are essential to the persistence of populations. |
| País: | Portal de Revistas UCR |
| Institución: | Universidad de Costa Rica |
| Repositorio: | Portal de Revistas UCR |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:portal.ucr.ac.cr:article/29374 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://revistas.ucr.ac.cr/index.php/rbt/article/view/29374 |
| Palabra clave: | Key factor analysis gorgonian recruitment bet-hedging population fluctuations population persistence coral reef |