December 3 2009
12:00 LSB 2320
University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Exploring patterns of marine connectivity and isolation across the Indo Pacific: A network approach
Summary:
Marine population connectivity is fundamental to understanding the population dynamics of species, marine biodiversity, patterns of endemicity, and the conservation of marine species. Although several studies have identified general scales of population connectivity, little progress has been made in quantifying the spatial structure of this connectivity. To better understand these spatial patterns, we constructed marine dispersal networks using a biophysical model to simulate dispersal between the reefs of the Indo Pacific. Here, I describe the development of this dispersal model and illustrate how the connectivity networks can be analysed using a graph-theoretic approach. Finally, I highlight methods for integrating the spatial structure of marine population connectivity into regional conservation planning.