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Population characteristics of the sea starOreaster reticulatus in the Bahamas and across the Caribbean
| Title: | Population characteristics of the sea starOreaster reticulatus in the Bahamas and across the Caribbean. |
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| Name(s): |
Scheibling, R. E. Metaxas, Anna Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute |
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| Type of Resource: | text | |
| Genre: | Article | |
| Date Issued: | 2001 | |
| Publisher: | A.A. Balkema. | |
| Place of Publication: | Exton, PA | |
| Physical Form: | ||
| Extent: | 7 p. | |
| Language(s): | English | |
| Identifier: | FA00007393 (IID) | |
| Note(s): |
Populations of Oreaster reticulatus in the Bahamas, US Virgin Islands, and Grenadines are
compared to examine regional and between habitat variation in population size, density, dispersion, and demography.
This sea star, a microphagous substratum grazer, generally is randomly distributed at densities of
1-5 100 m⁻² (2-5 kg fresh weight) in populations numbering 100s to 1000s. Populations in grassbeds have a
greater proportion of juveniles than those on sand bottoms, suggesting grassbeds are nursery areas and emigration
to adjacent sand bottoms occurs among adults. Size (radius) frequency distributions are approximately
normal on sand bottoms but mean size decreases with density, suggesting intraspecific competition for food
limits growth. Comparisons over a 20 year interval (1974-94) of Oreaster at three sites in the Grenadines indicate
little change in population structure and abundance. The sparse distribution of Oreaster in small populations
with low rates of recruitment and turnover render this sea star vulnerable to human exploitation and
alteration of habitat.
Populations of Oreaster reticulatus in the Bahamas, US Virgin Islands, and Grenadines are
compared to examine regional and between habitat variation in population size, density, dispersion, and demography.
This sea star, a microphagous substratum grazer, generally is randomly distributed at densities of
1-5 100 m? (2-5 kg fresh weight) in populations numbering lOOs to lO00s. Populations in grassbeds have a
greater proportion of juveniles than those on sand bottoms, suggesting grassbeds are nursery areas and emigration
to adjacent sand bottoms occurs among adults. Size (radius) frequency distributions are approximately
normal on sand bottoms but mean size decreases with density, suggesting intraspecific competition for food
limits growth. Comparisons over a 20 year interval (1974-94) of Oreaster at three sites in the Grenadines indicate
little change in population structure and abundance. The sparse distribution of Oreaster in small populations
with low rates of recruitment and turnover render this sea star vulnerable to human exploitation and
alteration of habitat Florida Atlantic University. Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute contribution 1373 This manuscript is an author version with the final publication available and may be cited as: Scheibling, R. E., & Metaxas, A. (2001). Population characteristics of the sea star Oreaster reticulatus in the Bahamas and across the Caribbean. In M.F. Barker (Ed.), Echinoderms 2000: Proceedings of the 10th International Conference, Dunedin, 31 January-4 February 2000 (pp. 209-214). Lisse Netherlands; Exton, PA: A.A. Balkema |
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| Subject(s): |
Bahamas Caribbean Sea Starfishes Sea stars Population biology |
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| Persistent Link to This Record: | http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00007393 | |
| Host Institution: | FAU |
