Immigration Rates during Population Density Reduction in a Coral Reef Fish.

ABSTRACT: Although the importance of density-dependent dispersal has been recognized in theory, few empirical studies have examined how immigration changes over a wide range of densities. In a replicated experiment using a novel approach allowing within-site comparison, we examined changes in immigration rate following the gradual removal of territorial damselfish from a limited area within a much larger patch of continuous habitat. In all sites, immigration occurred at intermediate densities but did not occur before the start of removals and only rarely as density approached zero. In the combined data and in 5 of 7 sites, the number of immigrants was a hump-shaped function of density. This is the first experimental evidence for hump-shaped, density-dependent immigration. This pattern may be more wi

SUBMITTER: Turgeon K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4896503 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature