Trends in body size across an environmental gradient: a differential response in scavenging and non-scavenging demersal deep-sea fish.

ABSTRACT: Body size trends across environmental gradients are widely reported but poorly understood. Here, we investigate contrasting relationships between size (body mass) and depth in the scavenging and predatory demersal ichthyofauna (800-4800 m) of the North-east Atlantic. The mean size of scavenging fish, identified as those regularly attracted to baited cameras, increased significantly with depth, while in non-scavengers there was a significant decline in size. The increase in scavenger size is a consequence of both intra and inter-specific effects. The observation of opposing relationships, in different functional groups, across the same environmental gradient indicates ecological rather than physiological causes. Simple energetic models indicate that the dissimilarity can be explained by dif

SUBMITTER: Collins MA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1559896 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature