open access

https://hdl.handle.net/2115/42621

The disruption of habitat isolation among three Hexagrammos species by artificial habitat alterations that create mosaic-habitat

英語

Microhabitat use

2010-01

Springer Japan

Ecological Research

25(1)

41-50

In coastal areas in Japan, three species of greenling (Hexagrammos spp.) can hybridize. In a natural reef setting we showed that Hexagrammos agrammus and H. octogrammus established their breeding territories in a shallow area where seaweed was abundant, whereas H. otakii established breeding territories in a deep area that was sparsely covered with seaweed. This difference in habitat use resulted in H. otakii being distributed separately from the other two species, thereby reducing the potential for hybridization. However, all the three species co-occurred in an artificial area near a breakwater. This area is characterized by steep slopes and complex stacked concrete structures, which create a mosaic-habitat consisting of a shallow environment with seaweed and a deep environment with sparse seaweed, allowing the three species to breed within a single area. Our results suggest that man-made structures can create an artificial mosaic-habitat that can disrupt habitat isolation and promote hybridization between species.

学術雑誌論文

Accepted Manuscript

The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com

0912-3814