THE IMPORTANCE OF RECRUITMENT TO THE DYNAMICS OF A CORAL-REEF FISH POPULATION

The damselfish Pomacentrus amboinensis (Pomacentridae) was examined on natural patch reefs of c8m2 in the lagoon of One Tree Reef, S Great Barrier Reef. Natural variation in recruitment success affects the importance of post-recruitment processes. In good recruitment years, adult densities on a substantial number of reefs may be limited by density-dependent processes, which may affect the majority of individuals in a region. Density-dependent juvenile growth may buffer adult populations on these reefs against the effects of poor recruitment years, since input may come from a number of immature age classes. Where recruitment success is always below a certain level, the dynamics of adult populations will reflect variation in recruitment success. -Author