|
Thesis working title:Population connectivity of blue cod (Parapercis colias)populations in Fiordland, New Zealand.Research Summary:I am interested in the population structure of blue cod in Fiordland and the connectivity between the outer coast and inner fiord populations. I am investigating the hypothesis that the outer coast habitat supports a “source” population while the inner fiord habitat acts a “sink”. Sex structure, size distribution, growth rates and trophic position (as inferred from stomach content and stable isotope analyses) of inner and outer fiord populations are being examined in relation to habitat quality and population density in the two habitat types. Trace element analysis of otoliths is being used as a tool to discriminate between groups of fish with different environmental histories. The fecundity of blue cod in relation to maternal size measures (length, weight and age) will be modelled and this information used in conjunction with population structure data to determine whether the reproductive potential of the outer coast and inner fiord habitats supports the source-sink hypothesis. The implications of my findings will be considered in relation to the spatial management of blue cod stocks within the Fiordland Commercial Exclusion Zone. Key words: Blue cod, population connectivity, source-sink dynamics, fecundity, trace element analysis.
|
|||||||||
|
||||||||||
