10.5. Questions and Tasks
207
of this model due to their immense spatial extent (i.e. the disturbed area is
significantly larger than the undisturbed area; Langton and Auster 1999),
Recovery from disturb ances at this scale will be mostly dominated by larval
recruitment (Auster and Langton 1999), While this may have negative consequences for species like Nepbtys, it wo uld not be as important for oppo rtunistic species like Poly dora (Whitlatch et al. 2000).
Conservation of be nthic habitats should arguably be a priority in its own
right. Additionally, however, many invertebrate species provide food resources and structurally complex habitats that influence survivorship of
threatened and/or commercially important fish species (Auster and Langton
1999; Freese et al. 1999; Lindholm et al. 1999; Langton and Auster 1999).
These studies implicate trawling, an example of a widespread anthropogen ic disturbance, in the redu ction of juvenile fish densities through the
destruction of structure-enhancing epifaunal invertebrates. Sessile epifaunal
species (e .g. sponges, cerianthid anemones, sea whips, hydroid s, corals)
are often slow-growing and reprodu ce ap eriodically in deep water (Reiswig
1973; Witman and Sebens 1985; Witman et al. 1993). Based on the present
modeling effort, we wo uld expect that these potent ially important invertebrate species do not recover we ll from large, intense, and frequent disturbance events associated with modern fishing techn iques.
Along with environmental and historical factors that may affect how populations and communities respo nd to disturb ance, a general theory regarding benthic recovery dynamics should consider spatially and temporally
varying components of the recolonization process. The transport and dispersal of colonists from undisturbed portions of the habitat, a spatially depend ent process, is potentially important for benthic recovery and needs to
be integrated into the current conceptual framework. Multidisciplinary approaches and a commitment to broa d-scale environmental assess ment are
necessary to better conserve living marine resou rces in the wo rld's oceans.
The model presented here may be a platform from which to explore the
system relationships and dynamics of disturb ance-recovery processes.
10.5. Questions and Tasks
a) start the simulation of patch recovery in between larval pulses for
Nepbtys,
b) decrease the fecundi ty of Polydora by an order of magnitude.
a) a) fe fec cundi undi ty ty in in a a s si in nuso usoi ida dal l fas fash hi io on n; ;
b b) ) s su urv rvi iv vo ors rsh hi ip p in in a a s si inus nusoi oida dal l f fa ash shi io on. n.
a) a) Ne Nep pb bt ty ys s; ;
b b) ) P Po ol ly yd dora ora. .
207
of this model due to their immense spatial extent (i.e. the disturbed area is
significantly larger than the undisturbed area; Langton and Auster 1999),
Recovery from disturb ances at this scale will be mostly dominated by larval
recruitment (Auster and Langton 1999), While this may have negative consequences for species like Nepbtys, it wo uld not be as important for oppo rtunistic species like Poly dora (Whitlatch et al. 2000).
Conservation of be nthic habitats should arguably be a priority in its own
right. Additionally, however, many invertebrate species provide food resources and structurally complex habitats that influence survivorship of
threatened and/or commercially important fish species (Auster and Langton
1999; Freese et al. 1999; Lindholm et al. 1999; Langton and Auster 1999).
These studies implicate trawling, an example of a widespread anthropogen ic disturbance, in the redu ction of juvenile fish densities through the
destruction of structure-enhancing epifaunal invertebrates. Sessile epifaunal
species (e .g. sponges, cerianthid anemones, sea whips, hydroid s, corals)
are often slow-growing and reprodu ce ap eriodically in deep water (Reiswig
1973; Witman and Sebens 1985; Witman et al. 1993). Based on the present
modeling effort, we wo uld expect that these potent ially important invertebrate species do not recover we ll from large, intense, and frequent disturbance events associated with modern fishing techn iques.
Along with environmental and historical factors that may affect how populations and communities respo nd to disturb ance, a general theory regarding benthic recovery dynamics should consider spatially and temporally
varying components of the recolonization process. The transport and dispersal of colonists from undisturbed portions of the habitat, a spatially depend ent process, is potentially important for benthic recovery and needs to
be integrated into the current conceptual framework. Multidisciplinary approaches and a commitment to broa d-scale environmental assess ment are
necessary to better conserve living marine resou rces in the wo rld's oceans.
The model presented here may be a platform from which to explore the
system relationships and dynamics of disturb ance-recovery processes.
10.5. Questions and Tasks
a) start the simulation of patch recovery in between larval pulses for
Nepbtys,
b) decrease the fecundi ty of Polydora by an order of magnitude.
a) a) fe fec cundi undi ty ty in in a a s si in nuso usoi ida dal l fas fash hi io on n; ;
b b) ) s su urv rvi iv vo ors rsh hi ip p in in a a s si inus nusoi oida dal l f fa ash shi io on. n.
a) a) Ne Nep pb bt ty ys s; ;
b b) ) P Po ol ly yd dora ora. .