DOI: 10.5061/dryad.76dc8
title: Data from: Self-recruitment in a Caribbean reef fish: a method for approximating dispersal kernels accounting for seascape

description: Characterizing patterns of larval dispersal is essential to understanding
 the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of marine metapopulations. Recent
 research has measured local dispersal within populations, but the
 development of marine dispersal kernels from empirical data remains a
 challenge. We propose a framework to move beyond point estimates of
 dispersal towards the approximation of a simple dispersal kernel, based on
 the hypothesis that the structure of the seascape is a primary predictor
 of realized dispersal patterns. Using the coral reef fish Elacatinus lori
 as a study organism, we use genetic parentage analysis to estimate
 self-recruitment at a small spatial scale (&lt;1 km). Next, we
 determine which simple kernel explains the observed self-recruitment,
 given the influx of larvae from reef habitat patches in the seascape at a
 large spatial scale (up to 35 km). Finally, we complete parentage analyses
 at six additional sites to test for export from the focal site and compare
 these observed dispersal data within the metapopulation to the predicted
 dispersal kernel. We find 4.6% self-recruitment (CI95%: ±3.0%) in the
 focal population, which is explained by the exponential kernel y = 0.915x
 (CI95%: y = 0.865x, y = 0.965x), given the seascape. Additional parentage
 analyses showed low levels of export to nearby sites, and the best-fit
 line through the observed dispersal proportions also revealed a declining
 function y = 0.77x. This study lends direct support to the hypothesis that
 the probability of larval dispersal declines rapidly with distance in
 Atlantic gobies in continuously distributed habitat, just as it does in
 the Indo-Pacific damselfishes in patchily distributed habitat.
description: All reef patches shape
 fileThis .shp file shows the
 centroids of all reef patches within 35 km of Curlew. Suggested
 projection: Datum (WGS84); Projection (UTM Zone 16N).Modified_centroids_shape.shpAll reef patches shape file .shxThis .shx file is associated with the .shp files for the centroids of all reef patches near Curlew.Modified_centroids_shape.shxAll reef patches shape file .dbfThis .dbf file is associated with the all reef patches shape file that shows the centroids of all reef patches near Curlew.Modified_centroids_shape.dbfCurlew Caye Shape FileThis .shp file shows the centroid of the Curlew Caye reef patch, which was our focal study site. Suggested projection: Datum (WGS4); Projection (UTM Zone 16N).Curlew.shpCurlew Caye Shape File .shxThis .shx file supports the Curlew shape file.Curlew.shxCurlew Caye Shape File .dbfThis .dbf file supports the Curlew .shp file.Curlew.dbfExport sites shape fileThis .shp file shows the centroids of the six additionally sampled export reef patches for the export parentage analysis. Suggested projection: Datum (WGS 84); Projection (UTM zone 16N).Export_Sites_shape.shpExport sites shape file .shxThis .shx file supports the Export Sites .shp file that shows the centroids of the additionally sampled sites for parentage analysis.Export_Sites_shape.shxExport sites shape file .dbfThis .dbf file supports the export sites shape file that shows the six additionally sampled sites for the export parentage analyses.Export_Sites_shape.dbfRaw data for sampling sites and distribution dataThis excel file contains all raw data collected from the field. In the first sheet we have listed: the collection date , GPS waypoint, and depth of every sponge in the study area, as well as sponge morphological data and data on the fish present in every sponge (fish presence/absence, number of fish, and size of each fish). On the second sheet are the specific geographic coordinates that correspond to each GPS waypoint.Raw_distribution_data.xlsxMicrosatellite genotypesThis files contains the genotypes for all gobies at 14 polymorphic microsatellite markers. Gobies include all individuals from Curlew Caye (here, we list their standard length [SL] and whether they are categorized as a potential offspring or parent for the parentage analysis). We also include genotypes for the additional settlers collected at each of the 6 sites for the export analyses.microsatellite_genotypes_allgobies.xlsxRaw distance data between all reef patches in the studyThe first sheet of this Excel file contains the distance between Curlew and all reef patches within 35 km of Curlew. It also has a histogram of the distances. The second sheet lists each of the six additional export sites, and for each of those sites, lists the raw distances between every other patch within 35 km and the given focal site.Distance_Distributions.xlsxSelf-recruitment SimulationThis Excel file shows step-by-step how we completed the simulation of dispersal to determine which simple dispersal kernel explains the observed self-recruitment percentage. Based on the distance between all reef patches within 35 km of the focal site (Curlew Caye), we iteratively apply a simple exponential decay rate. Based on the cumulative relative probability of dispersal to that site, we can predict self-recruitment and compare to the observed value. Further details are given within the file by Excel comments.Self-recruitment_Simulation.xlsxExport Analysis SimulationsThis Excel file shows how we predicted the proportion of settlers to have originated from Curlew Caye (focal site) to each of the six additional export sites. For each export site, we calculate the cumulative relative probability of dispersal to that site based on the approximated dispersal kernel and the distance to all reef patches within 35 km. We can then predict the proportion to have originated from Curlew, based on the distance between Curlew and each export site. Additional details are given in Excel comments within the file.ExportAnalysis_Simulation.xlsx