Scaling of connectivity in marine populations
Abstract
Defining the scale of connectivity, or exchange, among marine populations and determining the factors driving this exchange are pivotal to our understanding of the population dynamics, genetic structure, and biogeography of many coastal species. Using a high-resolution biophysical model for the Caribbean region, we report that typical larval dispersal distances of ecologically relevant magnitudes are on the scale of only 10 to 100 kilometers for a variety of reef fish species. We also show the importance of the early onset of active larval movement mediating the dispersal potential. In addition to self-recruitment, larval import from outside the local area is required to sustain most populations, although these population subsidies are very limited in particular systems. The results reveal distinct regions of population isolation based on larval dispersal that also correspond to genetic and morphological clines observed across a range of marine organisms.
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The first spawning strategy (local retention and self-recruitment) is common among tropical and subtropical fish but with increasing evidence also in species residing in temperate and Subarctic systems.
“The first spawning strategy is common among tropical and subtropical fish (Jones et al., 2005;Cowen et al., 2006;Almany et al., 2007;Planes et al., 2009) but with increasing evidence also in species residing in temperate and Subarctic systems (Miller and Shanks, 2004;Ciannelli et al., 2010).”
From Evolutionary and ecological constraints of fish spawning habitats (2015) · cites this paper as Cowen et al., 2006
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Larval Dispersal and Marine Population Connectivity
Cowen, R. K., & Sponaugle, S. (2009) · Annual Review of Marine Science · doi:10.1146/annurev.marine.010908.163757 · Cited by 2,077 · see citing works
Self-citationSchofield, P. (2009) · Aquatic Invasions · doi:10.3391/ai.2009.4.3.5 · Cited by 271 · see citing works
UNDERWOOD, J. N., SMITH, L. D., VAN OPPEN, M. J. H., & GILMOUR, J. P. (2007) · Molecular Ecology · doi:10.1111/j.1365-294x.2006.03187.x · Cited by 231 · see citing works
Ecologically relevant dispersal of corals on isolated reefs: implications for managing resilience
Underwood, J. N., Smith, L. D., Oppen, M. J. H. V., & Gilmour, J. P. (2009) · Ecological Applications · doi:10.1890/07-1461.1 · Cited by 157 · see citing works
Evolutionary and ecological constraints of fish spawning habitats
Ciannelli, L., Bailey, K., & Olsen, E. M. (2015) · ICES Journal of Marine Science · doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsu145 · Cited by 127 · see citing works
Bakun, A. (2010) · Journal of Marine Systems · doi:10.1016/j.jmarsys.2008.12.008 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Gene Flow and Genetic Diversity of a Broadcast-Spawning Coral in Northern Peripheral Populations
Nakajima, Y., Nishikawa, A., Iguchi, A., & Sakai, K. (2010) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011149 · Cited by 82 · see citing works
Encounter with Mesoscale Eddies Enhances Survival to Settlement in Larval Coral Reef Fishes
Shulzitski, K., Sponaugle, S., Hauff, M., Walter, K. D., & Cowen, R. K. (2016) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.1601606113 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Self-citationHabtes, S., Muller‐Karger, F. E., Roffer, M. A., Lamkin, J. T., & Muhling, B. A. (2014) · Limnology and Oceanography: Methods · doi:10.4319/lom.2014.12.86 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
- Authors
- Cowen, R. K., Paris, C. B., & Srinivasan, A.
- Affiliations
- University of Miami (US)
- Corresponding author
- Cowen, R. K.
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2006-01-27
- Volume
- 311
- Issue
- 5760
- Pages
- 522-527
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2078992396
- Cited by
- 1,354
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 52 · 2021: 48 · 2020: 72 · 2019: 57 · 2018: 79 · 2017: 76 · 2016: 76 · 2015: 73 · 2014: 89 · 2013: 75 · 2012: 95
- FWCI
- 55.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Marine and fisheries research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
- Keywords
- larval dispersal, ocean connectivity, reef fish, larval motility, self-recruitment, population isolation, genetic structure, biogeography, biophysical model, Caribbean, population dynamics, morphological clines
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Computer Simulation, Environment, Fishes, Larva, Models, Biological, Population Density, Population Dynamics, Seawater, Swimming, Water Movements, Caribbean Region, Ecosystem, Anthozoa
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