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Home‑range allometry in coral reef fishes: comparison to other vertebrates, methodological issues and management implications
Citation
Nash, KL and Welsh, JQ and Graham, NAJ and Bellwood, DR, Home‑range allometry in coral reef fishes: comparison to other vertebrates, methodological issues and management implications, Oecologia, 177, (1) pp. 73-83. ISSN 0029-8549 (2015) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014
DOI: doi:10.1007/s00442-014-3152-y
Abstract
Body size has been identified as a key driver of home-range area. Despite considerable research into home-range allometry, the relatively high variability in this relationship among taxa means that the mechanisms driving this relationship are still under debate. To date, studies have predominantly focused on terrestrial taxa, and coral reef fishes in particular have received little attention. We quantitatively reviewed studies examining home range in reef fishes, and assessed the interspecific relationship between body mass and home-range area. Body mass and home range are positively related in reef fishes (slopes of 1.15–1.72), with predators having larger home ranges than herbivorous species. This may be attributed to the mobility and lower abundance of predators’ food items. Coral reef fishes, and fishes in general, appear to occupy a smaller area per unit mass than terrestrial vertebrates (intercepts of −0.92 to 0.07 versus ≥1.14). This is likely linked to the relative metabolic costs of moving through water compared to air. The small home ranges of reef fishes and their apparent reluctance to cross open areas suggest that reserves aimed at protecting fish species may be more effective if located across whole reefs, even if those reefs are comparatively small, rather than if they cover subsections of contiguous reef, as home ranges in the former are less likely to cross reserve boundaries.
Item Details
Item Type: | Refereed Article |
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Keywords: | movement, spatial ecology, mammals, birds, lizards |
Research Division: | Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences |
Research Group: | Fisheries sciences |
Research Field: | Fisheries management |
Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
Objective Group: | Terrestrial systems and management |
Objective Field: | Assessment and management of terrestrial ecosystems |
UTAS Author: | Nash, KL (Dr Kirsty Nash) |
ID Code: | 107697 |
Year Published: | 2015 |
Web of Science® Times Cited: | 64 |
Deposited By: | IMAS Research and Education Centre |
Deposited On: | 2016-03-22 |
Last Modified: | 2017-11-01 |
Downloads: | 0 |
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