Long-term demographics of a coral-reef fish: growth, survival and abundance at several spatial scales

In marine organisms, pelagic larval dispersal often results in genetic panmixis among widely separated populations; however, local conditions may produce populations of organisms that differ key life history traits. Here, we assess spatial differences growth, body condition, survivorship and movement over a decade for lemon damselfish Pomacentrus moluccensis. Newly recruited fish were tagged on the southern (One Tree Island, 23°S), northern Great Barrier Reef (Lizard 15°S), 1200 km apart, monitored to provide direct data growth survivorship. New recruit physiological condition (lipid content) had weak positive influence early survival, but not long-term persistence or supply signal was lost after 2 years, suggesting post-settlement processes population persistence. Fish exhibited extreme site fidelity, with older/larger moving most (all less than 7 m). At Lizard under 5% individuals remained 3 none 4 while at One Island survived 5 1% remaining decade, require more frequent replenishment persist. Among-site (within location) variation mortality high, related density, such as wave exposure predators important. Surprisingly, mean two locations, which by around °C average sea temperature, practically identical, levelling off high nearby sites within each location, would affect size-based fecundity time first reproduction these smaller scales. Neither nor density-dependent, overall longevity. These small reef fishes are highly sedentary some demographic parameters, others, range scales, likely driven largely patterns larger scale. Latitudinal smaller-spatial scale performance (growth, survival) this species, leading offsets expected maturity an fecundity, contrasted evidence stability adult decades suggests resilience environmental change/climate change other externalities considerably across species’ distribution.