The relationship between pelagic larval duration and range size in tropical reef fishes: a synthetic analysis.

ABSTRACT: We address the conflict in earlier results regarding the relationship between dispersal potential and range size. We examine all published pelagic larval duration data for tropical reef fishes. Larval duration is a convenient surrogate for dispersal potential in marine species that are sedentary as adults and that therefore only experience significant dispersal during their larval phase. Such extensive quantitative dispersal data are only available for fishes and thus we use a unique dataset to examine the relationship between dispersal potential and range size. We find that dispersal potential and range size are positively correlated only in the largest ocean basin, the Indo-Pacific, and that this pattern is driven primarily by the spatial distribution of habitat and dispersal barriers. F

SUBMITTER: Lester SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1564084 | biostudies-literature | 2005 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature