Aspects of the biology and ecology of six temperate reef fishes (families: Labridae and Monacanthidae).

TL;DRAbstract

The currently most accepted population theory for reef fish was developed on tropical reefs and suggests that populations of most reef fish species are limited primarily by recruitment, with little post-recruitment resource limitation. I tested the validity of this theory for temperate reef fishes by examining growth rates in six common species from a number of isolated populations for evidence of resource limitation. If resources are limiting, spatial and temporal variation in recruitment and mortality should lead to isolated populations experiencing differing levels of resource availability, particularly food availability, which will be reflected in growth rates. I worked with six of the most common reef fishes found in Tasmanian waters so that any findings would form the basis of a broadly applicable model. These were Notolabrus tetricus, Notolabrus fucicola, Pictilabrus laticlavius, Pseudolabrus psittaculus, Penicipelta vittiger, and Meuschenia australis. Before examining growth ra

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