Rapid and cost-effective assessment of connectivity among assemblages of Choerodon rubescens (Labridae), using laser ablation ICP-MS of sagittal otoliths

Pelagic early life stages promote connectivity in the demersal labrid Choerodon rubescens

“…The results of an otolith microchemistry study indicate that the movements of the adults and juveniles of this demersal species are likely to be limited (Fairclough et al, 2011), probably to within 10s of km. The extent of dispersal of the pelagic ELS, however, remains uncertain.…”

“…It is particularly abundant at the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, which are located at approximately the centre of its distribution. This species contributes to commercial and recreational fisheries and evidence suggests that overfishing has occurred at some locations (Fairclough et al, 2011(Fairclough et al, , 2014Ryan et al, 2013;Wise et al, 2007). …”

“…The latter dominates in late-autumn and winter, while the former are predominant in summer, although the strength and peak flow of each vary from year to year (Cresswell et al, 1989;Feng et al, 2010). Both of these water flows probably influence the dispersal of the ELS in C. rubescens, which spawns mainly in spring and early summer (Fairclough et al, 2011). The results of hydrodynamic modelling of passive particles released in water around the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, and further south off Perth, suggest that the prevailing water movements could transport 28-day pelagic ELS in multiple directions, sometimes over hundreds of kilometres, particularly during the peak spawning period of C. rubescens (see Feng et al, 2010;Penton and Pattiaratchi, 2013).…”

Otolith elemental evidence for spatial structuring in a temperate reef fish population

“…Although individual scans sometimes fell below the selected instrumental detection limits, we chose to include these data as they can be useful in detecting spatial separation between sampled groups (Hicks et al 2010, Fairclough et al 2011, and we agree with Ben-Tzvi et al (2007) that potentially interesting data may be unnecessarily discarded when they fall below arbitrarily determined thresholds. An average capture site signature was calculated from up to triplicate spots per sample following close examination of the raw data for each element; only 3 of these averaged replicates fell below the instrumental detection limits for the element (0.14% of elemental averages).…”

Otolith geochemistry discriminates among estuarine nursery areas of Solea solea and S. senegalensis over time

“…Otoliths have been widely used in age structure and growth studies and, more recently, to estimate population structure (e.g. Campana 1999, Thresher & Procter 2007, assess migration patterns (Hamer et al 2006, Fairclough et al 2011), identify natal origin or nursery areas (Vasconcelos et al 2007b, Clarke et al 2009) and retrospectively classify adults to their areas of origin (e.g. Thorrold et al 2001.…”