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Modelling the patterns of dispersion of length at age in teleost fishes
Author(s) -
Bowker D. W.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1995.tb05988.x
Subject(s) - biology , dispersion (optics) , longevity , standard deviation , energetics , fish <actinopterygii> , ecology , zoology , statistics , fishery , mathematics , genetics , physics , optics
The patterns of dispersion of length at age were analysed in 142 samples representing 115 stocks, 72 species and seven orders of teleost fishes. The coefficients of variation i.e. the ratios of the standard deviations to the mean lengths, declined with age in 85 samples, did not vary significantly with age in 50 samples and increased with age in seven samples. A rapid exponential decline in the coefficients of variation of length with age was a dominant characteristic of most short‐lived stocks. Conversely, in most long‐lived stocks, the coefficients of variation of length remained relatively constant, declined gradually, or increased slightly with age. It is proposed that the patterns of dispersion of length at age can be modelled empirically as a function of longevity. The probable sources of the observed patterns, including the intrinsic variability of life‐history parameters between individuals and the impact of social interactions, are discussed.