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Updated: Jun 5, 2026
07:40
Monitoring Spatial Segregation in Surface Colonizing Microbial Populations
Published on: October 29, 2016
Are numbers enough? Colonizer phenotype and abundance interact to affect population dynamics
Scott C Burgess1, Dustin J Marshall
1School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072, Australia. scott.burgess@uq.edu.au
The Journal of Animal Ecology
|January 22, 2011
Summary
Colonizer abundance boosts marine bryozoan populations, but long dispersal durations reduce reproductive yield. Phenotype and abundance interact, impacting population dynamics beyond numbers alone.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Population Dynamics
- Marine Biology
Background:
- Colonizer supply is a key driver of population dynamics.
- The influence of colonizer supply varies, and the role of phenotypic variation is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interactive effects of colonizer phenotype and abundance on population structure.
- To determine how dispersal duration influences population recruitment, biomass, and reproductive yield.
Main Methods:
- Simultaneous manipulation of colonizer phenotype (dispersal duration) and abundance.
- Field measurements of marine bryozoan population structure.
Main Results:
- Increased colonizer numbers enhanced recruitment and biomass irrespective of phenotype.
- Longer dispersal durations reduced the positive relationship between colonizer abundance and reproductive yield.
- Longer dispersal decreased the proportion of reproducing individuals, impacting overall yield.
Conclusions:
- Interactions between colonizer phenotype and abundance are crucial for predicting population dynamics.
- Phenotypic variation, specifically dispersal duration, significantly modifies the impact of colonizer abundance.
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