Home > Evidence of large, local variations in recruitment and mortality in the small giant clam, Tridacna maxima, at Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia

Evidence of large, local variations in recruitment and mortality in the small giant clam, Tridacna maxima, at Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia


Posted on 11 November 2011

TitleEvidence of large, local variations in recruitment and mortality in the small giant clam, Tridacna maxima, at Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsBlack, R, Johnson MS, Prince J, Brearley A, Bond T
JournalMarine and Freshwater Research
Volume62
Issue11
Pagination1318-1326
Date Published2011
ISSN1323-1650
Keywordsbiodiversity, clams, Ningaloo, recruitment, Tridacna
AbstractUnderstanding variability of recruitment and mortality is essential for attempts to conserve populations or assessing changes resulting from perceived disturbances. In the absence of long-term studies, we examined population density and size-frequency distributions of the small giant clam, Tridacna maxima, at 20 sites in Ningaloo Marine Park, Western Australia, where the clams are abundant on discontinuous, intertidal rocky platforms attached to the shoreline. Density ranged over two orders of magnitude (0.04–8.27 m–2), and size ranged from 1.5 to 31.0 cm. The shapes of the size-frequency distributions varied substantially, indicating variability in recruitment and mortality, including failures of cohorts to recruit and catastrophic events of mortality. Consistency of recruitment, as indexed by the coefficient of variation of the size-frequency distribution, was greater towards the north of the Park, on intertidal platforms with greater complexity across their widths, and with smoother surfaces in the part of the platform occupied by the clams. The average turnover time was estimated at 5.4 years, giving a median age of 13 years. However, variation among sites was large, highlighting the importance of variability of the dynamics of local populations and the need for long-term studies to understand any particular population.
URLhttp://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/MF11093.htm
DOI10.1071/MF11093
Short TitleMar. Freshwater Res.
Refereed DesignationRefereed