Rapid growth and large body size in annual fish populations are compromised by density-dependent regulation

Abstract

We tested the effect of population density on maximum body size in three sympatric species of annual killifishes Nothobranchius spp. from African ephemeral pools. We found a clear negative effect of population density on body size, limiting their capacity for extremely fast development and rapid growth.

This suggests that density-dependent population regulation and the ephemeral character of their habitat impose contrasting selective pressures on the life history of annual killifishes.

Keywords

• Nothobranchius
• plasticity
• population regulation
• somatic growth
• sympatry
• temporary habitat