In marine environments, the open system (OS) theory, whereby populations are assumed to be well connected through large-scale dispersal, is currently being challenged by studies demonstrating limited dispersal. Using a novel metapopulation framework featuring nonequilibrium within-site disturbance cycles and limited dispersal, I investigate the large-scale response of marine mussel populations to changes in oceanographic productivity. By altering the fecundity parameter, I am able to shift from open to dynamically-coupled systems (DCS), thereby generating predictions that can be used to test the connectivity of marine populations. Within-site disturbance cycles scale-up and drive regional dynamics in both OS and DCS. Fast disturbance cycles induce synchronized oscillations that promote regional extinction risk in response to changes in oceanographic productivity for DCS but not OS. Slow disturbance cycles maintain spatial variability and temporal stability in both OS and DCS. These predictions can be used to test the applicability of OS theories to natural coastal ecosystems.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.98713 |
| Date | January 2005 |
| Creators | Gouhier, Tarik Claude. |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Biology.) |
| Rights | © Tarik Claude Gouhier, 2005 |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002489582, proquestno: AAIMR24682, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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