Regional versus latitudinal variation in the life-history traits and demographic rates of a reef fish,Centropyge bispinosa,in the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef Marine Parks,Australia |
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Authors: | Jake R Lowe Samuel D Payet Hugo B Harrison Jean-Paul A Hobbs Andrew S Hoey Brett M Taylor Tane H Sinclair-Taylor Morgan S Pratchett |
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Institution: | 1. College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia;2. Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia;3. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia;4. Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
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Abstract: | Environmental temperature is an important determinant of physiological processes and life histories in ectotherms. Over latitudinal scales, variation in temperature has been linked to changes in life-history traits and demographic rates, with growth and mortality rates generally being greatest at low latitudes, and longevity and maximum length being greater at higher latitudes. Using the two-spined angelfish, Centropyge bispinosa, as our focal species, we compared growth patterns, growth rates, longevity, mortality, asymptotic length and maximum length across 22 reefs that span 13° of latitude within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) and the Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP), Australia. We found no predictable latitudinal variation in mortality rates, growth patterns, growth rates, asymptotic or maximum length of C. bispinosa at regional to biogeographic scales. However, C. bispinosa consistently exhibited reduced longevity at lower, warmer latitudes within the CSMP. The greatest differences in mean maximum length of C. bispinosa were between continental (GBRMP) and oceanic (central CSMP) reefs of similar latitude, with individuals being larger on average on continental versus oceanic reefs. The lack of predictable life-history and demographic variation in C. bispinosa across a 13° latitudinal gradient within the CSMP, coupled with differences in mean maximum length between continental and oceanic reefs at similar latitudes, suggest that local environmental conditions have a greater influence than environmental temperature on the demographic rates and life-history traits of C. bispinosa. |
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Keywords: | Centropyge Coral Sea Great Barrier Reef life-history traits Metabolic Theory of Ecology Temperature-Size Rule |
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