![]() ![]() A trilateral continuum based on essential trade-offs among three demographic variables predicts many of the correlations among life-history traits. Parental care was inversely correlated with median latitude. ![]() Age at maturation, adult growth rate, life span, and egg size positively correlated with anadromy. High-fecundity characteristics tended to be associated with large species ranges in the marine environment. Phylogeny affected each variable, and some higher taxonomic groupings were associated with particular life-history strategies. A second strong gradient indicated positive associations between parental care, egg size, and extended breeding seasons. Multivariate tests, performed on freshwater, marine, and combined data matrices, repeatedly identified a gradient associating later-maturing fishes with higher fecundity, small eggs, and few bouts of reproduction during a short spawning season and the opposite suite of traits with small fishes. Data were gathered for 216 North American fish species (57 families) to explore relationships among variables and to ordinate species. Interspecific patterns of fish life histories were evaluated in relation to several theoretical models of life-history evolution. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |