Synopsis
A rocky intertidal fish assemblage at Dillon Beach, CA was persistent over 42 months. This time period represents greater than one mean generation time for residents. This result confirms an earlier conclusion of deterministic regulation based on 29 months of study. Additional work suggests that food resource partitioning is the organizational mechanism present in this assemblage. A correlation analysis of mean species ranks from collections where specimens were removed from the site, with those from collections where specimens were returned alive, exhibited a highly significant positive correlation (rs = 0.883. p<0.005). Thus assemblage structure apparently was unaffected by collecting; validating previous conclusions based on control site-study site comparisons.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cites
Freeman, M. C., N. Neally & C.D. Grossman. 1985. Aspects of the life history of the fluffy sculpin (Oligocottus snyderi), U.S. Fish. Bull, (in press).
Grossman, G.D. 1982. Dynamics and organization of a rocky inlerlidal fish assemblage: the persistence and resilience of taxocene structure. Amer. Nat. 119: 611–637.
Grossman, G.D. 1985. Division of food resources among fish of the rocky inlerlidal zone. J. Zool. (in press).
Grossman. G.D. & V. de Vlaming. 1984. Reproductive ecology of female Oligocottus snyderi Greeley: a North American inlerlidal sculpin. J. Fish Biol. 25: 231–241.
Grossman. G.D., P.B. Movie & J.O. Whitaker. Jr. 1982. Stochasticity in structural and functional characteristics of an Indiana stream fish assemblage: a test of community theory. Amer. Nat. 120: 420–454.
Grossman, G.D., M.C. Freeman. P.B. Movie & J.O. Whilaker. Jr. 1985. Stochasticity in an Indiana stream fish assemblage. Amer. Nat. 126 (in press).
Herbold, B. 1984. Structure of an Indiana stream fish association choosing an appropriate model. Amer. Nat. 124: 561–572.
Rahel. F.J., J.D. Lyons & P.A. Cochran. 1984. Stochastic or deterministic regulation of assemblage structure? It may depend on how the assemblage is defined. Amer. Nat. 124: 144–157.
Sale. P.F. 1984. The structure of communities of fish on coral reefs and the merit of a hypothesis-testing, manipulative approach to ecology, pp. 478–490. In: D.R. Strong. Jr., D. Simherloff. L.G. Abele & A.B. Thistle (ed.) Ecological Communities: Conceptual Issues and the Evidence. Princeton University Press, Princeton.
Werner. E.E. 1984. The mechanisms of species interactions and community organization in fish. pp. 360–382. In: D.R. Strong. Jr., D. Simherloff, L.G. Abele & A.B. Thistle (ed.) Ecological Communities: Conceptual Issues and the Evidence. Princeton University Press, Princeton.
Yant. P., J.R. Karr & P.L. Angcrmeier. 1984. Stochasticity in stream fish communities: an alternative interpretation. Amer. Nat. 124: 573–582.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Grossman, G.D. Long term persistence in a rocky intertidal fish assemblage. Environ Biol Fish 15, 315–317 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03549802
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03549802