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Rapidly changing life history during invasion
Author(s) -
Bøhn Thomas,
Terje Sandlund Odd,
Amundsen PerArne,
Primicerio Raul
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
oikos
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.672
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1600-0706
pISSN - 0030-1299
DOI - 10.1111/j.0030-1299.2004.13022.x
Subject(s) - fecundity , biology , life history theory , pelagic zone , ecology , reproduction , life history , offspring , population , coregonus , population growth , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , demography , pregnancy , genetics , sociology
The fish species vendace ( Coregonus albula ) invaded the sub‐arctic Pasvik watercourse during the second half of the 1980s, and became the dominant pelagic species in the upstream part of the watercourse within a few years. Life history traits of the pioneer population of vendace in Pasvik were recorded from 1991–2000. A rapid increase in population density in the upstream part of the watercourse was accompanied by decreased growth rates, decreased fecundity and a reduced size at first maturation. The downstream part of the watercourse showed a similar, but delayed, change in life history traits compared to the upstream part. The study documents great life history variability of a non‐native fish species entering a new environment. We discuss two co‐acting explanations for the observed patterns: (i) a density dependent response mediated by food depletion; and (ii) a pioneer strategy that allocates resources to favour reproduction at early developmental stages with a high number of offspring, trading off growth and size of offspring.