Grow fast, die young: Does compensatory growth reduce survival of juvenile blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) in the western Gulf of Mexico?

ABSTRACT: Effective conservation and management necessitate an understanding of the ecological mechanisms that shape species life histories in order to predict how variability in natural and anthropogenic impacts will alter growth rates, recruitment, and survival. Among these mechanisms, the interaction between parturition timing and prey availability frequently influences offspring success, particularly when postnatal care is absent. Here, we assess how parturition timing and nursery conditions, including prey abundance and environmental conditions, influence the growth and potential survival of blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) in western Gulf of Mexico (GOM) estuaries over their first year. Catch data from long-term gillnet monitoring allowed for clear delineation of cohorts based on

SUBMITTER: Matich P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8601900 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature