Cryptic density dependence: the effects of spatial, ontogenetic, and individual variation in reef fish

隐密度依赖性：珊瑚鱼空间、个体发育和个体变异的影响

• 批准号: 0242312
• 负责人: Craig Osenberg
• 金额: $ 69.75万
• 依托单位: University of Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2003
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2003-04-01 至 2008-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0242312&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Cryptic; density; dependence; effects; spatial

Ecologists have long been interested in the factors that drive spatial and temporal variability in population density and structure. In marine reef systems, attention has focused on the role of settlement-the transition of pelagic larvae to a benthic stage-and on density-dependent processes affecting recently settled juveniles. Recent data suggest that co-variance in settlement and subsequent density-dependent survival can obscure the patterns of density dependence at larger scales, a phenomenon called cryptic density dependence. This research will explore the mechanisms that underlie the spatial covariance of settlement and site quality - a process that has received little attention in the standard paradigm. These mechanistic studies of cryptic density dependence will facilitate the development of new frameworks for fish population dynamics that incorporate larval ecology, habitat quality, density dependence, life history, and the patterns and implications of spatial covariance among these factors. More generally, the work provides a specific empirical context, and a general theoretical treatment, of cryptic heterogeneity (hidden individual variation in demographic rates). Training in this project will involve undergraduate and graduate students in quantitative and experimental marine ecology. Additionally, undergraduates will be involved through supervised research courses. Students will be trained in field and lab techniques; they will also have the opportunity to work with collaborators from Australia and New Zealand. This project has broader implications for the management of marine fisheries, including harvested food fisheries (which can seldom be studied experimentally and thus probably exhibit cryptic density dependence) and marine ornamentals (fish and invertebrates harvested for the aquarium trade) which can be studied well but for which there is a significant divide between science and management and policy.

生态学家长期以来一直对驱动种群密度和结构的时空变异性的因素感兴趣。在海洋礁系统中，关注的重点是定居的作用--中上层幼体向底栖生物阶段的过渡--以及影响最近定居的幼体的依赖密度的过程。最近的数据表明，聚落的协变性和随后的密度依赖生存可以掩盖更大尺度上的密度依赖模式，这种现象被称为隐蔽密度依赖。这项研究将探索聚落和场地质量的空间协方差背后的机制-这一过程在标准范式中几乎没有受到关注。这些对密度依赖的机制研究将有助于开发新的鱼类种群动态框架，包括幼体生态、栖息地质量、密度依赖、生活史以及这些因素之间的空间协方差的模式和含义。更广泛地说，这项工作为隐蔽的异质性(隐藏的人口比率的个体差异)提供了具体的经验背景和一般的理论治疗。该项目的培训将包括定量和实验海洋生态学的本科生和研究生。此外，本科生将通过监督研究课程参与进来。学生将接受实地和实验室技术方面的培训；他们还将有机会与来自澳大利亚和新西兰的合作者合作。该项目对海洋渔业的管理有更广泛的影响，包括收获的食物渔业(很少能通过实验研究，因此可能表现出神秘的密度依赖关系)和海洋观赏植物(为水族箱贸易捕捞的鱼和无脊椎动物)，它们可以得到很好的研究，但在科学、管理和政策之间存在重大分歧。