Abstract
ABSTRACTAimPatterns of population renewal in marine fishes are often irregular and lead to volatile fluctuations in abundance that challenge management and conservation efforts. Here, we examine the relationship between life‐history strategies and recruitment variability in exploited marine fish species using a macroecological approach.LocationGlobal ocean.Time period1950–2018.Major taxa studiedBony and cartilaginous fish.MethodsBased on trait data for 244 marine fish species, we extend the established equilibrium–periodic–opportunistic (E‐P‐O) life‐history classification scheme objectively to include two additional emergent life‐history strategies: “bet‐hedgers” (B) and salmonic (S) strategists. The B strategists include rockfishes and other species inhabiting patchy benthic habitats with life histories that blend characteristics of E and P species; they combine very long life spans with elevated investments in both parental care and fecundity. The S strategists mainly comprise salmonids that share life‐history characteristics with E and O species: elevated investments in parental care reminiscent of E strategists, but with reduced fecundity and short life spans characteristic of O species. We analysed how the E‐B‐P‐O‐S life‐history classification mapped onto patterns of recruitment variability observed in population time series data (n = 156 species).ResultsGeneralized linear models suggested that life‐history strategy explained a modest, yet significant amount of recruitment variability across species. Greater predictive power arose after controlling for increased recruitment variance associated with variable fishing pressure, with O strategists showing the strongest sensitivity. The B strategists were susceptible to exploitation in a similar manner to P stocks, but their longer times to maturity made them particularly vulnerable to overfishing.Main conclusionsA broader recognition of the distinct ecology of salmonic and bet‐hedger groups is important when studying life‐history strategies in marine fish. More generally, our results stress the importance of considering life‐history strategies for understanding patterns of recruitment variability across fish stocks.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.