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Teen Titans. Volume 5, The trial of Kid Flash
\"When Titans Fall. He trained under the Dark Knight himself. But then Red Robin stepped out from under the Batman's shadow to start a new team of teenaged heroes like himself. As the Teen Titans, they battled against threats no other, older team could face. He never could have imagined that their greatest threats would come from within. Spinning out of the events of \"Forever Evil,\" the team is lost in the timestream, repeatedly slammed together only to be torn apart again. Superboy has been targeted by the murderous Son of Superman he was cloned from. Raven's deal with her devilish father Trigon--her freedom for the Titans' soul--has almost been sealed. And the carefree crimefighter called Kid Flash is about to be called to account for crimes that defy comprehension. As the trial of the friend and hero they thought they knew nears its dreaded verdict, the Teen Titans will be forced to make a fateful decision. Will they stand together-- or fall apart?\" -- page 4 of cover.
Book
Characterizing the trophic ecology of herbivorous coral reef fishes using stable isotope and fatty acid biomarkers
Understanding the trophic ecology of herbivorous and detritivorous fishes is essential for evaluating their ecological roles in coral reef ecosystems. In this study, we combined bulk stable isotope (δ 15 N and δ 13 C) and fatty acid analyses to investigate trophic partitioning and dietary resource use among herbivorous and detritivorous fishes from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Isotopic niches and fatty acid profiles confirmed significant trophic partitioning among algivores, detritivorous surgeonfishes, and parrotfishes. We also applied mixing models based on these ecological tracers to quantify the contributions of basal dietary sources to the fish. Our findings further support previous dietary knowledge for several species, including algivorous acanthurids, kyphosid chubs, and the rabbitfish Siganus doliatus . However, they also highlight trophic niche specializations within these groups, particularly in Naso unicornis , which assimilates substantial dietary protein from epiphytic cyanobacteria despite a macroalgal diet, and in the detritivorous Ctenochaetus striatus , which exhibited isotopic similarities to parrotfishes but differed in fatty acid composition, likely due to a higher intake of diatoms. Additionally, our analyses reinforce the distinctive dietary composition of parrotfishes, emphasizing the complexity of their feeding biology, in which microscopic photoautotrophs such as cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates play a key dietary role that has often been overlooked in previous studies on their nutritional ecology. Furthermore, these findings underscore the usefulness of multi-tracer approaches in refining our understanding of coral reef fish trophic ecology.
Journal Article
Drivers of protogynous sex change differ across spatial scales
The influence of social demography on sex change schedules in protogynous reef fishes is well established, yet effects across spatial scales (in particular, the magnitude of natural variation relative to size-selective fishing effects) are poorly understood. Here, I examine variation in timing of sex change for exploited parrotfishes across a range of environmental, anthropogenic and geographical factors. Results were highly dependent on spatial scale. Fishing pressure was the most influential factor determining length at sex change at the within-island scale where a wide range of anthropogenic pressure existed. Sex transition occurred at smaller sizes where fishing pressure was high. Among islands, however, differences were overwhelmingly predicted by reefal-scale structural features, a pattern evident for all species examined. For the most abundant species, Chlorurus spilurus, length at sex change increased at higher overall densities and greater female-to-male sex ratios at all islands except where targeted by fishermen; here the trend was reversed. This implies differing selective pressures on adult individuals can significantly alter sex change dynamics, highlighting the importance of social structure, demography and the selective forces structuring populations. Considerable life-history responses to exploitation were observed, but results suggest potential fishing effects on demography may be obscured by natural variation at biogeographic scales.
Journal Article
Revisiting the paradigm of shark-driven trophic cascades in coral reef ecosystems
Global overfishing of higher-level predators has caused cascading effects to lower trophic levels in many marine ecosystems. On coral reefs, which support highly diverse food webs, the degree to which top-down trophic cascades can occur remains equivocal. Using extensive survey data from coral reefs across the relatively unfished northern Great Barrier Reef (nGBR), we quantified the role of reef sharks in structuring coral reef fish assemblages. Using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach, we explored the interactions between shark abundance and teleost mesopredator and prey functional group density and biomass, while explicitly accounting for the potentially confounding influence of environmental variation across sites. Although a fourfold difference in reef shark density was observed across our survey sites, this had no impact on either the density or biomass of teleost mesopredators or prey, providing evidence for a lack of trophic cascading across nGBR systems. Instead, many functional groups, including sharks, responded positively to environmental drivers. We found reef sharks to be positively associated with habitat complexity. In turn, physical processes such as wave exposure and current velocity were both correlated well with multiple functional groups, reflecting how changes to energetic conditions and food availability, or modification of habitat affect fish distribution. The diversity of species within coral reef food webs and their associations with bottom-up drivers likely buffers against trophic cascading across GBR functional guilds when reef shark assemblages are depleted, as has been demonstrated in other complex ecosystems.
Journal Article
Natural nutrient subsidies alter demographic rates in a functionally important coral-reef fish
By improving resource quality, cross-ecosystem nutrient subsidies may boost demographic rates of consumers in recipient ecosystems, which in turn can affect population and community dynamics. However, empirical studies on how nutrient subsidies simultaneously affect multiple demographic rates are lacking, in part because humans have disrupted the majority of these natural flows. Here, we compare the demographics of a sex-changing parrotfish (
Chlorurus sordidus
) between reefs where cross-ecosystem nutrients provided by seabirds are available versus nearby reefs where invasive, predatory rats have removed seabird populations. For this functionally important species, we found evidence for a trade-off between investing in growth and fecundity, with parrotfish around rat-free islands with many seabirds exhibiting 35% faster growth, but 21% lower size-based fecundity, than those around rat-infested islands with few seabirds. Although there were no concurrent differences in population-level density or biomass, overall mean body size was 16% larger around rat-free islands. Because the functional significance of parrotfish as grazers and bioeroders increases non-linearly with size, the increased growth rates and body sizes around rat-free islands likely contributes to higher ecosystem function on coral reefs that receive natural nutrient subsidies. More broadly, these results demonstrate additional benefits, and potential trade-offs, of restoring natural nutrient pathways for recipient ecosystems.
Journal Article
Comparative Demography of Five Holocentridae Species from American Samoa
This study provides the first insights into the age-based life histories of five Holocentridae species (soldierfish and squirrelfish) from American Samoa: Myripristis amaena, M. berndti, M. murdjan, Sargocentron spiniferum, and S. tiere. Examination of sagittal otoliths revealed that all five species exhibited long lifespans with maximum estimated ages of 17 to 40 years. The Holocentridae complex exhibited a consistent slow-turnover strategy characterized by long lifespans, asymptotic growth profiles, and low rates of instantaneous total mortality (Z ≤ 0.20 yr−1). Reproductive information, derived from histological examination of gonads, indicated that the onset of maturity for all five species occurred later than is typical for many demersal reef fishes. This pattern was exemplified by female S. tiere, which reached 50% maturity at age 6.5 years. The size at maturity occurred between 65% and 91% of asymptotic length for all species. All species demonstrated a primary spawning season during the austral summer (October–February).
Journal Article
Age-Based Demography of Two Parrotfish and a Goatfish from Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands
The age-based life history of two commercially important parrotfishes (Labridae: tribe Scarinae) and one goatfish (Mullidae) were characterized based on the commercial nearshore fishery in Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Age, growth, reproduction, and mortality were derived from fishery-dependent samples using sagittal otoliths and gonads for the stareye parrotfish Calotomus carolinus, pacific bullethead parrotfish Chlorurus spilurus, and yellowfin goatfish Mulloidichthys vanicolensis. All three species had short lifespans of 10 years or less, with a maximum age of 4 years for C. carolinus, 10 years for C. spilurus, and 7 years for M. vanicolensis. All three species had a fast initial growth to terminal body sizes, early maturation, and spawned throughout the year. The age-based demographic information presented here can be used to inform future stock assessments, fisheries management, and population models.
Journal Article
Comparative demography of surgeonfishes from the tropical western Pacific
Surgeonfishes (Acanthuridae) are diverse and common members of coral reef faunal assemblages and are important coastal fisheries resources throughout the tropics. Life-history research provides a foundation for understanding and predicting population dynamics and is therefore important to fisheries management. However, our understanding of surgeonfish biology stems primarily from high-latitude tropical regions where they exhibit multidecadal life spans. To derive an eco-evolutionary and biogeographic perspective on the biology of acanthurids, we derived age-based life-history information for a suite of species representing over 99% of the surgeonfish fishery in the Mariana Islands. Multivariate analysis failed to provide a powerful summary of trait variation among surgeonfishes, as body size is not positively correlated with longevity, growth trajectories and length of maturation varied widely among species, and mortality is not simply a function of size or growth. In fact, seven of twelve species studied exhibited unusual biphasic mortality pattern. Different modes of reproductive investment in species appear to carry a taxonomic signature and may influence the vulnerability of some species to overexploitation. Comparisons with previous studies demonstrated a strong thermal gradient in life span and body size across latitude. Ultimately, surgeonfishes display puzzling features whereby extended life spans are uncharacteristically coupled with higher-than-expected mortality rates as a result of biphasic mortality schedules at the population level. Trait relationships among species are not straightforward, posing challenges for designing effective management and for predicting population dynamics under global climate change.
Journal Article
Global patterns and drivers of fish reproductive potential on coral reefs
Fish fecundity scales hyperallometrically with body mass, meaning larger females produce disproportionately more eggs than smaller ones. We explore this relationship beyond the species-level to estimate the “reproductive potential” of 1633 coral reef sites distributed globally. We find that, at the site-level, reproductive potential scales hyperallometrically with assemblage biomass, but with a smaller median exponent than at the species-level. Across all families, modelled reproductive potential is greater in fully protected sites versus fished sites. This difference is most pronounced for the important fisheries family, Serranidae. When comparing a scenario where 30% of sites are randomly fully protected to a current protection scenario, we estimate an increase in the reproductive potential of all families, and particularly for Serranidae. Such results point to the possible ecological benefits of the 30 × 30 global conservation target and showcase management options to promote the sustainability of population replenishment.
This study estimates the reproductive potential of fish in globally distributed coral reef sites. The results show substantial gains in reproductive potential can be achieved through the 30 × 30 conservation target, particularly for the important fisheries family, Serranidae, demonstrating the possible benefit of protection to population replenishment.
Journal Article
Teleconnections reveal that drivers of inter-annual growth can vary from local to ocean basin scales in tropical snappers
Individual growth rate is one of the key traits that determine the productivity of populations. Chronological approaches that relate time series of growth and climate information present the opportunity to identify important climatic drivers of demography and thereby understand the likely impact of climate change. We constructed otolith chronologies (a proxy for somatic growth) to examine synchrony of growth patterns within and between two mesopredatory fishes (Lutjanus bohar and L. gibbus) in the remote Chagos Archipelago, Indian Ocean. We then used mixed-model and pathway analysis to relate growth responses to a suite of climatic and environmental factors to determine the extent to which variation in inter-annual growth could be predicted at individual and population levels. Our models explained up to half the variance associated with annual growth at the level of populations. Significant environmental drivers of growth differed between species, as did the spatial scale of these drivers: L. gibbus exhibited a strong relationship with regional ocean temperature, whereas growth of L. bohar was correlated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, suggesting influential teleconnections between ocean basins as an underlying predictor of productivity of fish populations. Our results demonstrate that (1) synchronous growth stemming from relationships with climate factors may be suppressed at very low latitudes; (2) closely related species may respond to very different environmental stimuli; and (3) within the same environment, the scale of influential drivers may be local in nature or reflect oceanographic processes stretching across entire ocean basins. We demonstrate that biochronological approaches are effective tools for reconstructing relationships between climate variability and fish growth even in tropical regions where seasonality is low, and these methods can be valuable for forecasting population-level responses to projected climate change.
Journal Article