Habitat selection in rock pool corixids: the effect of local density on dispersal |
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Authors: | V Ilmari Pajunen Irmeli Pajunen |
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Affiliation: | (1) Division of Population Biology, Department of Ecology and Systematics, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 65 (Viikinkaari 1), FIN-00014, Finland;(2) Department of Animal Science, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 28 (Koetilantie 5), FIN-00014, Finland |
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Abstract: | The corixid species breeding in temporary rock pools of Baltic archipelago live in a highly fragmented and unpredictable habitat. Shallow rock pools can dry out and be refilled repeatedly during a summer causing high mortality of immatures. In deeper pools, young nymphs face intense competition by older stages including cannibalism. The adult corixids move frequently between rock pools and are thus able to use currently available habitat for reproduction. In this dispersal behaviour, the ability to assess the local population density and hence select the more suitable low density patches would be advantageous. We studied the effect of local population density on the frequency of dispersive flights of Arctocorisa carinata (Sahlberg) and Callicorixa producta (Reuter) experimentally, using rock pools from which nymphs of both species were removed. The dispersal rates of marked C. producta adults were significantly lower from experimental rock pools than from normal density controls, leading to a concentration of C. producta adults in the experimental rock pools. Indications of immigration rate differences between the experimental and control pools were also observed. No clear differences were found in the superior competitor A. carinata. |
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Keywords: | Corixidae rock pools dispersal effects of local density |
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