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The evolution of migration and some life history parameters in marine fishes

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Migration is a common phenomenon in marine fishes but the consequences with respect to life history variation have been little explored. Migration both influences the evolution of other traits and is contigent upon the evolution of other behavioural and demographic characters. The interaction between such factors is illustrated by considering the relationship between the cost of migration in relation to fecundity and the advantages and disadvantages of schooling, a phenomenon hypothesized to favour the evolution of migration. These analyses predict that migratory species will be relatively large, mature late and at a relatively large size and grow relatively fast. Data from north temperate marine fish support these predictions.

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  1. Department of Biology, 1205 Avenue Dr. Penfield, Montréal, Québec, H3A 1B1, Canada

    Derek A. Roff

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Roff, D.A. The evolution of migration and some life history parameters in marine fishes. Environ Biol Fish 22, 133–146 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001543

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