Which population shows density-dependent mortality due to refuge space limitation?
The kelp-perch example links density-dependent mortality to a finite number of refuges. As fish density rises, safe crevices or shelter sites become limiting, leaving more individuals exposed to predators. Mortality therefore increases disproportionately with abundance. The important mechanism is not simply predation, but the interaction between predation risk and competition for protective space. Density dependence is identified by a change in a per-capita demographic rate as abundance changes. Negative density dependence restrains growth and can regulate abundance; positive density dependenc
Ref: Ecology: From Individuals to Ecosystems, Begon et al., 5th Ed., Ch. 5