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Life history patterns shape energy allocation among fishes on coral reefs

  • Ecosystem Ecology
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Abstract

Although critically important, the link between animal life histories and ecosystem energetics is seldom explored. In the pursuit of ecological simplification, ecosystem properties are typically described by models based on static counts, where organisms are aggregated into trophic- or size-based groups. Consequently, output is often based on an assumption that larger group biomass equals greater energetic contribution. Here, we modelled the individual growth of over 58,000 fishes from 74 genera within a coral reef ecosystem to investigate the role and importance of taxon-specific life histories to the division, spatial distribution and relative contribution of biomass production within 14 coral reef fish families. Rank changes among families in standing biomass to biomass production indicated that small cryptic families (e.g. Gobiidae and Blenniidae) exhibit collective growth potentials equal to or exceeding those of many other common families composed of individuals with body-sizes 1–3 orders of magnitude larger. Remaining at high risk of predation throughout their lives as a consequence of their small size, these cryptic fishes also provide a constant food resource and supply of reproductive energy to coral reefs throughout the year. Enhanced further by the strength and diversity of their trophic relationships within food webs, the highly productive nature of these small cryptic fishes suggests they make a substantial contribution to the flow of energy in coral reef ecosystems via predatory pathways. It appears that life histories leave a strong imprint on ecosystem energy fluxes and illustrate the importance of incorporating taxon-specific features when assigning values to key ecosystem processes.

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Acknowledgements

We thank A. Barnett, M. Gagliano, A. Hoey, S. Wilson, R. Thomas, M. Schubert, M. Peters and the staff at Lizard Island Research Station for field support; J. H. Choat, M. Gagliano, T. Holmes, P. Munday, M. McCormick, S. Walker and S. Wilson for fruitful discussions and comments on the manuscript; and H. Larson for taxonomic identifications. This research was funded by a Linnean Society of NSW grant (M. D.), Reef CRC Augmentative grant (M. D.), a Nancy Vernon Rankine award (M.D.), James Cook University Doctoral Merit Research Grants (M. D., C. J. F.), the Mazda Foundation (M. J. M.) and the Australian Research Council (D. R. B.). JCU Ethics committee approval no. A787_02. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority permit no.G02/4743.1.

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Author notes

  1. Christopher J. Fulton

    Present address: School of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Marine Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, 4811, Australia

    Martial Depczynski, Christopher J. Fulton & David R. Bellwood

  2. Wildlife Conservation Society, Marine Programs, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, 10460-1099, USA

    Michael J. Marnane

Authors
  1. Martial Depczynski
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Correspondence to Martial Depczynski.

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Communicated by Roland Brandl.

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Depczynski, M., Fulton, C.J., Marnane, M.J. et al. Life history patterns shape energy allocation among fishes on coral reefs. Oecologia 153, 111–120 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-007-0714-2

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