Factors controlling juvenile growth and population structure of the starfish Asterias rubens in intertidal habitats: field and experimental approaches

The dynamics of intertidal populations of the starfish Asterias rubens, living in contrasted habitats and over a broad geographical range, were studied from March 2000 to November 2002 using modal analysis. As only 1 juvenile (first year after recruitment) and 1 adult (subsequent years) modes could...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2012-03, Vol.92 (2), p.367-378
Main Authors: Guillou, Monique, Joly-Turquin, Guillemette, Leyzour, Sandra, Pernet, Philippe, Dubois, Philippe
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Asterias rubens
Asteroidea
Biological and medical sciences
Brackish
Echinodermata
Environmental Sciences
Experiments
Field study
Food
Food availability
Food supply
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Invertebrates
Marine
Minors
Mollusks
Population
Population structure
Salinity
Sea water ecosystems
Seawater
Synecology
Wave action
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Summary:The dynamics of intertidal populations of the starfish Asterias rubens, living in contrasted habitats and over a broad geographical range, were studied from March 2000 to November 2002 using modal analysis. As only 1 juvenile (first year after recruitment) and 1 adult (subsequent years) modes could be distinguished; only juvenile growth was quantified. Concomitantly, experiments were carried out to test several factors assumed to influence juvenile growth: food quantity and quality, emersion, salinity variations and temperature. Three different juvenile growth patterns were evidenced: (1) a fast and protracted growth linked to high food availability and lack of disturbance; (2) a winter cessation of growth likely due to a seasonal increase of emersion-related stress and salinity variations; and (3) disrupted juvenile dynamics, which was encountered in 2 populations. In the first one, estuarine salinity conditions limited growth and, combined with food depletion, led to the extinction of the population. In the second one, wave action confined most of the population to a restricted area with low food levels. In the third scenario, intraspecific competition for food was probably at the source of an unusual growth pattern in which most juveniles did not grow while a small proportion achieved a medium growth rate.
ISSN:0025-3154
1469-7769
DOI:10.1017/S0025315411001020