1
|
Lima ARA, Lopes AR, Martins-Cardoso S, Moutinho AB, Lemos MFL, Novais SC, Faria AM. Integrated behavioural and physiological responses of sand smelt larvae to the effects of warming and hypoxia as combined stressors. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 199:106609. [PMID: 38878347 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Forecasts indicate that rising temperatures towards the future and the expansion of dead zones will change environmental suitability for fish early stages. Therefore, we assessed the chronic effects of warming (26 °C), hypoxia (<2-2.5 mg L-1) or their combination on mortality rate, growth, behaviour, energy metabolism and oxidative stress using Atherina presbyter larvae as a model species. There were no differences between the treatments in terms of mortality rate. The combination of warming and hypoxia induced faster loss of body mass (+22.7%). Warming, hypoxia or their combination enhanced boldness (+14.7-25.4%), but decreased exploration (-95%-121%), increased the time in frozen state (+60.6-80.5%) and depleted swimming speed (-45.6-50.5%). Moreover, routine metabolic rate was depleted under hypoxia or under the combination of warming and hypoxia (-56.6 and 57.2%, respectively). Under hypoxia, increased catalase activity (+56.3%) indicates some level of antioxidant defence capacity, although increased DNA damage (+25.2%) has also been observed. Larvae also exhibited a great capacity to maintain the anaerobic metabolism stable in all situations, but the aerobic metabolism is enhanced (+19.3%) when exposed to the combination of both stressors. The integrative approach showed that changes in most target responses can be explained physiologically by oxidative stress responses. Increased oxidative damages (lipid peroxidation and DNA damage) and increased interaction between antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) are associated to increased time in frozen state and decreased swimming activity, growth rates and boldness. Under all stressful situations, larvae reduced energy-consuming behaviours (e.g. depleted exploration and swimming activity) likely to stabilize or compensate for the aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms. Despite being an active small pelagic fish, we concluded that the sensitive larval phase exhibited complex coping strategies to physiologically acclimate under thermal and hypoxic stress via behavioural responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André R A Lima
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Network Associate Laboratory, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Ana Rita Lopes
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Network Associate Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-013, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sara Martins-Cardoso
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Network Associate Laboratory, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ariana B Moutinho
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Network Associate Laboratory, ESTM, Polytechnic of Leiria, Peniche, Portugal
| | - Marco F L Lemos
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Network Associate Laboratory, ESTM, Polytechnic of Leiria, Peniche, Portugal
| | - Sara C Novais
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Network Associate Laboratory, ESTM, Polytechnic of Leiria, Peniche, Portugal
| | - Ana M Faria
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Network Associate Laboratory, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Irwin K, Aspbury AS, Bonner T, Gabor CR. Habitat structural complexity predicts cognitive performance and behaviour in western mosquitofish. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20230394. [PMID: 38982850 PMCID: PMC11252849 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Urban stream syndrome alters stream habitat complexity. We define habitat complexity as the degree of variation in physical habitat structure, with increasing variation equating to higher complexity. Habitat complexity affects species composition and shapes animal ecology, physiology, behaviour and cognition. We used a delayed detour test to measure whether cognitive processes (motor self-regulation) and behaviour (risk-taking) of female Western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, varied with habitat structural complexity (low, moderate and high) that was quantified visually for nine populations. We predicted that motor self-regulation and risk-taking behaviour would increase with increasing habitat complexity, yet we found support for the opposite. Lower complexity habitats offer less refuge potentially leading to higher predation pressure and selecting for greater risk-taking by fish with higher motor self-regulation. Our findings provide insight into how habitat complexity can shape cognitive processes and behaviour and offers a broader understanding of why some species may tolerate conditions of urbanized environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyndal Irwin
- Biology Department, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| | - Andrea S. Aspbury
- Biology Department, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| | - Timothy Bonner
- Biology Department, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| | - Caitlin R. Gabor
- Biology Department, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
- The Xiphophorus Genetic Stock Center, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX 78666, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Su L, Lu L, Si M, Ding J, Li C. Effect of Population Density on Personality of Crayfish ( Procambarus clarkii). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1486. [PMID: 38791703 PMCID: PMC11117368 DOI: 10.3390/ani14101486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Personality is widely observed in animals and has important ecological and evolutionary implications. In addition to being heritable, personality traits are also influenced by the environment. Population density commonly affects animal behavior, but the way in which it shapes animal personality remains largely unknown. In this study, we reared juvenile crayfish at different population densities and measured their personality traits (shyness, exploration, and aggression) after reaching sexual maturity. Our results showed repeatability for each behavior in all treatments, except for the shyness of females at medium density. There was a negative correlation between shyness and exploration in each treatment, and aggression and exploration were positively correlated in medium- and high-density females. These indicate the presence of a behavior syndrome. On average, the crayfish raised at higher population densities were less shy, more exploratory, and more aggressive. We found no behavioral differences between the sexes in crayfish. These results suggested that population density may affect the average values of behavioral traits rather than the occurrence of personality traits. Our study highlights the importance of considering population density as a factor influencing personality traits in animals and, therefore, might help us to understand animal personality development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Su
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China; (L.S.); (L.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Leiyu Lu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China; (L.S.); (L.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Mengdi Si
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China; (L.S.); (L.L.); (M.S.)
| | | | - Chunlin Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China; (L.S.); (L.L.); (M.S.)
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Wetland Ecosystem Protection and Restoration, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Adolphs R, Xu Y. Opinion: Which animals have personality? PERSONALITY NEUROSCIENCE 2024; 7:e4. [PMID: 38384662 PMCID: PMC10877272 DOI: 10.1017/pen.2023.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Human personality generally refers to coherent individuating patterns in affect, behavior, and cognition. We can only observe and measure behavior, from which we then infer personality and other psychological processes (affect, cognition, etc.). We emphasize that the study of personality always explains or summarizes patterns not only in behavior but also in these other psychological processes inferred from behavior. We thus argue that personality should be attributed only to nonhuman animals with behaviors from which we can infer a sufficiently rich set of psychological processes. The mere inference of a biological trait that explains behavioral variability, on our view, is not sufficient to count as a personality construct and should be given a different term. Methodologically, inferring personality in nonhuman animals entails challenges in characterizing ecologically valid behaviors, doing so across rich and varied environments, and collecting enough data. We suggest that studies should gradually accumulate such corpora of data on a species through well-curated shared databases. A mixture of approaches should include both top-down fit with extant human personality theories (such as the Big Five) as well as bottom-up discovery of species-specific personality dimensions. Adopting the above framework will help us to build a comparative psychology and will provide the most informative models also for understanding human personality, its evolution, and its disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Adolphs
- Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| | - Yue Xu
- Division of Humanities and Social Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Salahinejad A, Meuthen D, Attaran A, Niyogi S, Chivers DP, Ferrari MCO. Maternal exposure to bisphenol S reduces anxiety and impairs collective antipredator behavior of male zebrafish (Danio rerio) offspring through dysregulation of their serotonergic system. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 267:106800. [PMID: 38183773 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2023.106800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Bisphenol S (BPS) is a common endocrine-disrupting chemical globally used in several consumer and industrial products. Although previous studies suggested that BPS induces multiple effects in exposed organisms, very little is known about its intergenerational effect on offspring behavior and/or the potential underlying mechanisms. To this end, adult female zebrafish Danio rerio were exposed to BPS (0, 10, 30 µg/L) and 1 µg/L of 17-β-estradiol (E2) as a positive control for 60 days. Afterwards, female fish were bred with untreated males, and their offspring were raised to 6 months old in control water. Maternal exposure to BPS decreased male offspring anxiety and antipredator behaviors while boldness remained unaffected. Specifically, maternal exposure to 10 and 30 µg/L BPS and 1 µg/L E2 were found to impact male offspring anxiety levels as they decreased the total time that individuals spent in the dark zone in the light/dark box test and increased the total track length in the center of the open field test. In addition, maternal exposure to all concentrations of BPS and E2 disrupted antipredator responses of male offspring by decreasing shoal cohesion in the presence of chemical alarm cues derived from conspecifics, which communicated high risk. To elucidate the possible molecular mechanism underlying these neuro-behavioral effects of BPS, we assessed the serotonergic system via changes in mRNA expression of serotonin receptors, including the 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, and 5-HT1D subtypes, the serotonin transporter and monoamine oxidase (MAO). The impaired anxiety and antipredator responses were associated with reduced levels of 5-HT1A subtype and MAO mRNA expression within the brain of adult male offspring. Collectively, the results of this study demonstrate that maternal exposure to environmental concentrations of BPS can interfere with the serotonergic signaling pathway in the developing brain, subsequently leading to the onset of a suite of behavioral deficits in adult offspring.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arash Salahinejad
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada.
| | - Denis Meuthen
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - Anoosha Attaran
- Robart Research Institute, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A5K8, Canada
| | - Som Niyogi
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada; Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B3, Canada
| | - Douglas P Chivers
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Maud C O Ferrari
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada; Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Lima ARA, Booms EM, Lopes AR, Martins-Cardoso S, Novais SC, Lemos MFL, Ribeiro L, Castanho S, Candeias-Mendes A, Pousão-Ferreira P, Faria AM. Early life stage mechanisms of an active fish species to cope with ocean warming and hypoxia as interacting stressors. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 341:122989. [PMID: 37984477 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Ocean's characteristics are rapidly changing, modifying environmental suitability for early life stages of fish. We assessed whether the chronic effects of warming (24 °C) and hypoxia (<2-2.5 mg L-1) will be amplified by the combination of these stressors on mortality, growth, behaviour, metabolism and oxidative stress of early stages of the white seabream Diplodus sargus. Combined warming and hypoxia synergistically increased larval mortality by >51%. Warming induced faster growth in length and slower gains in weight when compared to other treatments. Boldness and exploration were not directly affected, but swimming activity increased under all test treatments. Under the combination of warming and hypoxia, routine metabolic rate (RMR) significantly decreases when compared to other treatments and shows a negative thermal dependence. Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities increased under warming and were maintained similar to control levels under hypoxia or under combined stressors. Under hypoxia, the enzymatic activities were not enough to prevent oxidative damages as lipid peroxidation and DNA damage increased above control levels. Hypoxia reduced electron transport system activity (cellular respiration) and isocitrate dehydrogenase activity (aerobic metabolism) below control levels. However, lactate dehydrogenase activity (anaerobic metabolism) did not differ among treatments. A Redundancy Analysis showed that ∼99% of the variability in mortality, growth, behaviour and RMR among treatments can be explained by molecular responses. Mortality and growth are highly influenced by oxidative stress and energy metabolism, exhibiting a positive relationship with reactive oxygen species and a negative relationship with aerobic metabolism, regardless of treatment. Under hypoxic condition, RMR, boldness and swimming activity have a positive relationship with anaerobic metabolism regardless of temperature. Thus, seabreams may use anaerobic reliance to counterbalance the effects of the stressors on RMR, activity and growth. The outcomes suggests that early life stages of white seabream overcame the single and combined effects of hypoxia and warming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André R A Lima
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Infrastructure Network Associate Laboratory, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim Do Tabaco 34, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Emily M Booms
- IMBRSea-The International Master of Science in Marine Biological Resources, Universities Consortium, Ghent University, Krijgslaan, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ana Rita Lopes
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Infrastructure Network Associate Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Campo Grande, 1749-013, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sara Martins-Cardoso
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Infrastructure Network Associate Laboratory, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim Do Tabaco 34, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara C Novais
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Infrastructure Network Associate Laboratory, ESTM, Polytechnic of Leiria, Peniche, Portugal
| | - Marco F L Lemos
- MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Infrastructure Network Associate Laboratory, ESTM, Polytechnic of Leiria, Peniche, Portugal
| | - Laura Ribeiro
- Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere - IPMA, Aquaculture Research Station - EPPO, Olhão, Portugal
| | - Sara Castanho
- Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere - IPMA, Aquaculture Research Station - EPPO, Olhão, Portugal
| | - Ana Candeias-Mendes
- Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere - IPMA, Aquaculture Research Station - EPPO, Olhão, Portugal
| | - Pedro Pousão-Ferreira
- Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere - IPMA, Aquaculture Research Station - EPPO, Olhão, Portugal
| | - Ana M Faria
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ARNET-Aquatic Research Infrastructure Network Associate Laboratory, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim Do Tabaco 34, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Meuthen D, Salahinejad A, Chivers DP, Ferrari MCO. Transgenerational plasticity of exploratory behavior and a hidden cost of mismatched risk environments between parental sexes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19737. [PMID: 37957198 PMCID: PMC10643415 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46269-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
We require a better understanding of the relative contribution of different modes of non-genetic inheritance in behavioral trait development. Thus, we investigate variation in exploratory behavior, which is ecologically relevant and a target of selection. The metabolic hypothesis predicts exploratory behavior to be size-dependent across taxa. This size-dependency is cancelled out under high perceived risk, allowing us to determine the transgenerationally integrated estimated level of risk. Using fathead minnows Pimephales promelas, we manipulated perceived risk in mothers, fathers, caring males and offspring through continuous exposure to either conspecific alarm cues or to a control water treatment. In 1000 four-month old offspring, we determined body sizes and exploratory behavior. Perceived high risk in mothers, followed by personal risk, was most effective in eliminating size-dependent behavior whereas effects of paternal risk on offspring behavioral development were substantially weaker. When maternal risk is high, environmental mismatches between parents prevented offspring from responding appropriately to personal high risk. The environment of the caring male also impacted offspring behavior to a greater extent than that of its genetic parents. Our study highlights the high relative importance of maternal, personal and caring male risk environments and showcases potential costs of an environmental mismatch between parental sexes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Denis Meuthen
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada.
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Arash Salahinejad
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Douglas P Chivers
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5E2, Canada
| | - Maud C O Ferrari
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, WCVM, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Luchiari AC, Maximino C. Fish personality: meta-theoretical issues, personality dimensions, and applications to neuroscience and psychopathology. PERSONALITY NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 6:e9. [PMID: 38107778 PMCID: PMC10725779 DOI: 10.1017/pen.2023.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
While the field of personality neuroscience has extensively focused on humans and, in a few cases, primates and rodents, a wide range of research on fish personality has emerged in the last decades. This research is focused mainly on the ecological and evolutionary causes of individual differences and also aimed less extensively at proximal mechanisms (e.g., neurochemistry or genetics). We argue that, if consistent and intentional work is made to solve some of the meta-theoretical issues of personality research both on fish and mammals, fish personality research can lead to important advances in personality neuroscience as a whole. The five dimensions of personality in fish (shyness-boldness, exploration-avoidance, activity, aggressiveness, and sociability) need to be translated into models that explicitly recognize the impacts of personality in psychopathology, synergizing research on fish as model organisms in experimental psychopathology, personality neuroscience, and ecological-ethological approaches to the evolutionary underpinnings of personality to produce a powerful framework to understand individual differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carolina Luchiari
- Department of Physiology & Behavior, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Caio Maximino
- Laboratório de Neurociências e Comportamento, Instituto de Estudos em Saúde e Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Sul e Sudeste do Pará, Marabá, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Briffa M, Archer R. Size specific boldness associated with differences in resource requirements and habitat use: a cross-sectional study in hermit crabs. Curr Zool 2023; 69:360-366. [PMID: 37351298 PMCID: PMC10284036 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Animal personality is often studied within compressed periods of observation that represent narrow windows in comparison to animal lifespans. Although much is known about the relations between repeatable personality traits and cross-situational behavioral plasticity, less is known about how such traits might differ across age classes or life history transitions. We conducted a cross-sectional study of startle response duration in 3 size classes of Pagurus bernhardus, the common European hermit crab. We defined size classes using transitions in the preferred species of gastropod shells that accompany growth, and this change in preference is in turn associated with a transition from intertidal to subtidal habitats. Compared with small- and medium-sized intertidal individuals the larger subtidal hermit crabs behaved cautiously by showing startle responses of greater duration following disturbance. Startle responses were also repeatable within all 3 size classes, confirming the presence of animal personality in intertidal hermit crabs and demonstrating that this pattern is retained within the largest size classes, which have undergone the transition from intertidal to subtidal habitat. Interestingly, there was a trend for the pattern of repeatable startle response durations to increase with size class, with the highest value for repeatability and the greatest range of startle response durations being present within the large subtidal population. The greater range of startle responses indicates that the longer startle response durations in some larger individuals are more likely due to developmental changes with age and habitat use than reflecting selection against the boldest individuals during earlier stages of life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mark Briffa
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| | - Rose Archer
- School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Environmental variation promotes colour morph-specific behavioural differences in a cichlid fish. Anim Behav 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2023.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/14/2023]
|
11
|
Toscano BJ, Allegue H, Gownaris NJ, Drausnik M, Yung Z, Bauloye D, Gorman F, Ver Pault M. Among‐individual behavioral responses to predation risk are invariant within two species of freshwater snails. Ethology 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Hassen Allegue
- Département des Sciences Biologiques Université du Québec à Montréal Montréal Quebec Canada
| | - Natasha J. Gownaris
- Department of Environmental Studies, Gettysburg College Gettysburg Pennsylvania USA
| | - Marta Drausnik
- Department of Biology Trinity College Hartford Connecticut USA
| | - Zach Yung
- Department of Biology Trinity College Hartford Connecticut USA
| | - Daniel Bauloye
- Department of Biology Trinity College Hartford Connecticut USA
| | - Flynn Gorman
- Department of Biology Trinity College Hartford Connecticut USA
| | - Mia Ver Pault
- Department of Biology Trinity College Hartford Connecticut USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Kanno Y, Locklear ML, Platis NM, Lewis ST. Body condition metrics explain fish movement in experimental streams. J Zool (1987) 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.13049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Y. Kanno
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
- Graduate Degree Program in Ecology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
| | - M. L. Locklear
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
| | - N. M. Platis
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
| | - S. T. Lewis
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology Colorado State University Fort Collins CO USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Merz MR, Boone SR, Mortelliti A. Predation risk and personality influence seed predation and dispersal by a scatter‐hoarding small mammal. Ecosphere 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.4377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Margaret R. Merz
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology University of Maine Orono Maine USA
| | - Sara R. Boone
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology University of Maine Orono Maine USA
| | - Alessio Mortelliti
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Conservation Biology University of Maine Orono Maine USA
- Department of Life Sciences University of Trieste Trieste Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Godin JGJ, Le Roy A, Burns AL, Seebacher F, Ward AJ. Pace-of-life syndrome: linking personality, metabolism and colour ornamentation in male guppies. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
15
|
Anwer H, O'Dea RE, Mason D, Zajitschek S, Klinke A, Reid M, Hesselson D, Noble DWA, Morris MJ, Lagisz M, Nakagawa S. The effects of an obesogenic diet on behavior and cognition in zebrafish (
Danio rerio
): Trait average, variability, repeatability, and behavioral syndromes. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9511. [DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hamza Anwer
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Diabetes and Metabolism Division Garvan Institute of Medical Research Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Rose E. O'Dea
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Dominic Mason
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Diabetes and Metabolism Division Garvan Institute of Medical Research Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Susanne Zajitschek
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Diabetes and Metabolism Division Garvan Institute of Medical Research Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Liverpool John Moores University School of Biological and Environmental Sciences Liverpool UK
| | - Annabell Klinke
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Madeleine Reid
- Diabetes and Metabolism Division Garvan Institute of Medical Research Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Daniel Hesselson
- Diabetes and Metabolism Division Garvan Institute of Medical Research Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Centenary Institute and Faculty of Medicine and Health University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Daniel W. A. Noble
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Margaret J. Morris
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Malgorzata Lagisz
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Diabetes and Metabolism Division Garvan Institute of Medical Research Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Diabetes and Metabolism Division Garvan Institute of Medical Research Sydney New South Wales Australia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
The effect of sex, age and boldness on inhibitory control. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.09.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|
17
|
Zhou L, Liu K, Zhao Y, Cui L, Dong C, Wang Z. Increasing salinization of freshwater limits invasiveness of a live-bearing fish: Insights from behavioral and life-history traits. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 308:119658. [PMID: 35750304 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Biological invasions and continued salinization of freshwater are two global issues with largely serious ecological consequences. Increasing salinity in freshwater systems, as an environmental stressor, may negatively affect normal life activities in fish. It has been documented that salinity limits the invasive success of alien species by mediating physiological and life-history performances, however, there are few studies on how salinity affects its invasive process via altered behaviors. Using wild-caught invasive western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) as animal model, in this study, we asked whether gradual increasing salinity affects behaviors (personality and mate choice decision here), life-history traits, as well as the correlation between them by exposing G. affinis to three levels salinity (freshwater, 10 and 20‰). Results showed that, with increased salinity, male tended to be shyer, less active, less sociable, and reduced desire to mate, and female tended to be shyer, less active and lost preferences for the larger male. Furthermore, across salinity treatments, male exhibited reduced body fat content and rising reproduction allocation, however, pregnant female revealed diametrically opposed trends. In addition, the correlation between life-history traits and behaviors was only identified in pregnant female. It seems that either salinity or life-history traits directly affects mosquitofish behaviors. In summary, our results partially emphasize the harmful consequences of salinity on both life-history traits and behavioral performances. These findings provide a novel perspective on how salinity potentially affect fish fitness via altering personalities, mate choice decisions, as well as body condition, and hence supports the idea that salinity could affect the spread of invasive mosquitofish.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linjun Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, 22 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shannxi, 712100, China
| | - Kai Liu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Fishery Resources and Eco-environment, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, 22 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shannxi, 712100, China
| | - Ling Cui
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, 22 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shannxi, 712100, China
| | - Chenglong Dong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, 22 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shannxi, 712100, China
| | - Zaizhao Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, 22 Xinong Road, Yangling, Shannxi, 712100, China.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Dubois F, Binning SA. Predation and parasitism as determinants of animal personalities. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1918-1928. [PMID: 35856175 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Within the same population, proactive (i.e. bolder, more exploratory, active and aggressive) and reactive (i.e. more timid, less exploratory, less active and more passive) individuals could be hypothetically maintained due a trade-off between foraging and vigilance behaviours, provided that both phenotypes differ in their state (e.g. metabolic rates, body condition or energetic needs). Yet, recent findings indicate that among-individual variation in intrinsic state can explain only a small proportion of variation in behaviour, meaning that other mechanisms, such as the presence of trophically transmitted parasites, might contribute to maintaining inter-individual behavioural differences. Empirical evidence, indeed, suggests strong relationships between certain animal personality traits and parasitic load within host populations. However, the direction of causation between these traits remains unclear: are different behaviours in infected hosts in contrast to uninfected ones the result of manipulation by parasites to increase host predation, or are some personalities inherently more susceptible to infection than others? To better understand the role of parasites in shaping behavioural differences within host populations and examine to what extent parasite manipulation and/or intrinsic differences in parasite susceptibility contribute to maintaining behavioural differences, we used a simulation approach and analyzed the change in the frequencies of proactive and reactive individuals over time under different predation and starvation scenarios, when individual phenotype either affected a host's risk of infection or not. We found that in the absence of parasites, predation pressure strongly affected the expression of host personality, but the trade-off between foraging and vigilance behaviours alone could not explain the maintenance of inter-individual behavioural differences without temporal variation in predation pressure. By contrast, in the presence of parasites, the two host phenotypes could coexist within populations even when individuals experienced no temporal variations in predation risk, but only when proactive and reactive hosts were equally susceptible to parasitism. Our findings thus indicate that parasites can play an important role in maintaining genetic diversity in their host populations in addition to generating behavioural differences though manipulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sandra A Binning
- Département de sciences biologiques, Université de Montréal, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Aceves-Fonseca E, Santiago-Arellano A, Camacho-Cervantes M. Sex, size and habitat complexity effects on emergence latency and latency to locate food of the invasive porthole livebearer (Poeciliopsis gracilis). PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269384. [PMID: 35679286 PMCID: PMC9182249 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological invasions are considered the second major cause of plant, amphibian, reptile, and mammal loss worldwide. Like islands, freshwater ecosystems are especially susceptible to the negative impacts of invasions. The porthole livebearer (Poeciliopsis gracilis), recently identified as invasive in the Mexican Central Plateau, is increasing its populations and could impact freshwater ecosystems like its cousin species the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Risk-taking behaviours, such as emergence latency, are recognised as key characteristics to invasion success and Poeciliid females can establish a viable population by themselves (due to their multiple paternity broods). We investigated the emergence latency and latency to locate food in simple and complex environments of porthole livebearers, including the effect of their size and sex. For both sexes, bigger fish emerge less times and take longer to do so, but females are faster to exit the refuge than males. We found no differences in porthole livebearer’s behaviour in complex or simple habitats, and no significant differences between sex, size or treatment in the time to locate food after exiting the refuge. Our results suggest that the benefit of faster emergence from the refuge in porthole livebearers in novel environments could be higher for females. We consider that porthole livebearer females being bolder could contribute to the invasion success of the species. Our study points at females and smaller fish as being the more likely to explore novel environments, which could contribute to understanding how the invasions by the porthole livebearer are driven.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Esteban Aceves-Fonseca
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Especies Invasoras, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Abigail Santiago-Arellano
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Especies Invasoras, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Morelia Camacho-Cervantes
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Especies Invasoras, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, México
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Kabelik D, Julien AR, Waddell BR, Batschelett MA, O'Connell LA. Aggressive but not reproductive boldness in male green anole lizards correlates with baseline vasopressin activity. Horm Behav 2022; 140:105109. [PMID: 35066329 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Across species, individuals within a population differ in their level of boldness in social encounters with conspecifics. This boldness phenotype is often stable across both time and social context (e.g., reproductive versus agonistic encounters). Various neural and hormonal mechanisms have been suggested as underlying these stable phenotypic differences, which are often also described as syndromes, personalities, and coping styles. Most studies examining the neuroendocrine mechanisms associated with boldness examine subjects after they have engaged in a social interaction, whereas baseline neural activity that may predispose behavioral variation is understudied. The present study tests the hypotheses that physical characteristics, steroid hormone levels, and baseline variation in Ile3-vasopressin (VP, a.k.a., Arg8-vasotocin) signaling predispose boldness during social encounters. Boldness in agonistic and reproductive contexts was extensively quantified in male green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis), an established research organism for social behavior research that provides a crucial comparison group to investigations of birds and mammals. We found high stability of boldness across time, and between agonistic and reproductive contexts. Next, immunofluorescence was used to colocalize VP neurons with phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (pS6), a proxy marker of neural activity. Vasopressin-pS6 colocalization within the paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus was inversely correlated with boldness of aggressive behaviors, but not of reproductive behaviors. Our findings suggest that baseline vasopressin release, rather than solely context-dependent release, plays a role in predisposing individuals toward stable levels of displayed aggression toward conspecifics by inhibiting behavioral output in these contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Kabelik
- Department of Biology & Program in Neuroscience, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN 38112, USA.
| | - Allison R Julien
- Department of Biology & Program in Neuroscience, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN 38112, USA
| | - Brandon R Waddell
- Department of Biology & Program in Neuroscience, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN 38112, USA
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
|
22
|
Healy SD, Patton BW. It Began in Ponds and Rivers: Charting the Beginnings of the Ecology of Fish Cognition. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:823143. [PMID: 35187149 PMCID: PMC8850302 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.823143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
But fish cognitive ecology did not begin in rivers and streams. Rather, one of the starting points for work on fish cognitive ecology was work done on the use of visual cues by homing pigeons. Prior to working with fish, Victoria Braithwaite helped to establish that homing pigeons rely not just on magnetic and olfactory cues but also on visual cues for successful return to their home loft. Simple, elegant experiments on homing established Victoria's ability to develop experimental manipulations to examine the role of visual cues in navigation by fish in familiar areas. This work formed the basis of a rich seam of work whereby a fish's ecology was used to propose hypotheses and predictions as to preferred cue use, and then cognitive abilities in a variety of fish species, from model systems (Atlantic salmon and sticklebacks) to the Panamanian Brachyraphis episcopi. Cognitive ecology in fish led to substantial work on fish pain and welfare, but was never left behind, with some of Victoria's last work addressed to determining the neural instantiation of cognitive variation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan D. Healy
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Susan D. Healy
| | - B. Wren Patton
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Penn State University, State College, PA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Li C, Zhang X, Cui P, Zhang F, Zhang B. Male mate choice in mosquitofish: personality outweighs body size. Front Zool 2022; 19:5. [PMID: 35062965 PMCID: PMC8780319 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-022-00450-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite its important implications in behavioural and evolutionary ecology, male mate choice has been poorly studied, and the relative contribution of personality and morphological traits remains largely unknown. We used standard two-choice mating trials to explore whether two personality traits (i.e., shyness and activity) and/or body size of both sexes affect mate choice in male mosquitofish Gambusia affinis. In the first set of trials involving 40 males, we tested whether males would prefer larger females and whether the preference would be affected by males’ body length and personality traits, and females’ activity level. In the second set of trials (using another 40 males), we tested whether males would prefer more active females and whether the preference would be affected by males’ body length and personality traits. Results Both shyness and activity in males were significantly repeatable and constituted a behavioural syndrome. No overall directional preference for large (or small) females with the same activity levels was detected because larger males preferred larger females and smaller males chose smaller females. Males’ strength of preference for larger females was also positively correlated with the activity level of larger females but negatively with the activity level of smaller females. Males spent more time associating with active females regardless of their body lengths, indicating males’ selection was more influenced by female activity level than body size. Males’ preference for inactive females was enhanced when females became active. There was no convincing evidence for the effect of males’ personality traits or body length on their preferences for females’ activity level. Conclusions Our study supports the importance of body size in male mate choice but highlights that personality traits may outweigh body size preferences when males choose mating partners. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12983-022-00450-3.
Collapse
|
24
|
|
25
|
Swank A, Wang L, Ward J, Schoenfuss H. Multigenerational effects of a complex urban contaminant mixture on the behavior of larval and adult fish in multiple fitness contexts. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 791:148095. [PMID: 34139491 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Agricultural and urban storm water runoffs can introduce chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) into waterways. These chemicals can be continually released, persist, or even accumulate over time, with adverse effects on the physiology and behavior of aquatic species. Most studies aimed at evaluating the intergenerational effects of CECs have focused exclusively on single chemicals. By comparison, little is known about the effects of complex CEC mixtures on the behavior of organisms, or how these effects might manifest in subsequent generations. In this study, we exposed three generations of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to environmentally relevant concentrations of a complex CEC mixture representative of urban-impacted waterways and assessed the growth and behavior of larval and adult fish in life-stage-relevant fitness contexts (foraging, boldness, courtship). We found that (i) multigenerational exposure to a complex mixture of CECs altered the behavior of both larvae and adults in different fitness contexts; (ii) concentration-dependent patterns of behavioral impairment were consistent across fitness contexts and life stages; and (iii) the effects of exposure were magnified in the F1 and F2 generations. These results highlight the need for long-term, multigenerational assessments of CECs in affected waterways to robustly inform conservation practices aimed at managing aquatic systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ally Swank
- Department of Biology, Ball State University, United States of America
| | - Lina Wang
- Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, St. Cloud State University, United States of America
| | - Jessica Ward
- Department of Biology, Ball State University, United States of America.
| | - Heiko Schoenfuss
- Aquatic Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, St. Cloud State University, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Li H, Zhang X, Wu Y, Zhang F, Li C. Environmental temperature during early life affects the personality of mosquitofish in adulthood. Curr Zool 2021; 67:481-488. [PMID: 34616946 PMCID: PMC8489117 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Personality has been observed in a variety of animal taxa with important implications in ecology and evolution. Exploring the influence of environmental temperature during early life on personality could help to understand the ontogeny of this phenotypic trait in animals. In this study, we reared newborn mosquitofish Gambusia affinis at high (30°C) and low (25°C) water temperatures and measured their shyness and exploration upon sexual maturity. We tested the repeatability of each behavioral trait; the correlation between them; and the effects of rearing temperature, sex, and body length on the behaviors. When growing up at low temperatures, female fish exhibited repeatability in shyness and exploration, and males exhibited marginal repeatability in shyness. However, neither of the 2 behaviors were repeatable when the fish were reared at high temperatures. There was a negative correlation between shyness and exploration, indicating that the 2 behaviors comprise a behavioral syndrome in this species. Mosquitofish reared at high temperatures were more explorative than those reared at low temperatures, while there was no difference in shyness between the 2 treatments. Body length and sex had no significant effects on the average values of the 2 behaviors. The results indicate that environmental temperature during early life could shape the personality of mosquitofish and modify the average of the behavioral traits. These findings might provide insights to understand the ontogeny of animal personality and how changes in environmental temperature influence animal dispersal by shaping their personality.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haifeng Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Xinyu Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Yi Wu
- Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Nanjing 210042, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| | - Chunlin Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Kabelik D, Julien AR, Ramirez D, O'Connell LA. Social boldness correlates with brain gene expression in male green anoles. Horm Behav 2021; 133:105007. [PMID: 34102460 PMCID: PMC8277760 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Within populations, some individuals tend to exhibit a bold or shy social behavior phenotype relative to the mean. The neural underpinnings of these differing phenotypes - also described as syndromes, personalities, and coping styles - is an area of ongoing investigation. Although a social decision-making network has been described across vertebrate taxa, most studies examining activity within this network do so in relation to exhibited differences in behavioral expression. Our study instead focuses on constitutive gene expression in bold and shy individuals by isolating baseline gene expression profiles that influence social boldness predisposition, rather than those reflecting the results of social interaction and behavioral execution. We performed this study on male green anole lizards (Anolis carolinensis), an established model organism for behavioral research, which provides a crucial comparison group to investigations of birds and mammals. After identifying subjects as bold or shy through repeated reproductive and agonistic behavior testing, we used RNA sequencing to compare gene expression profiles between these groups within various forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain regions. The ventromedial hypothalamus had the largest group differences in gene expression, with bold males having increased expression of neuroendocrine and neurotransmitter receptor and calcium channel genes compared to shy males. Conversely, shy males express more integrin alpha-10 in the majority of examined regions. There were no significant group differences in physiology or hormone levels. Our results highlight the ventromedial hypothalamus as an important center of behavioral differences across individuals and provide novel candidates for investigations into the regulation of individual variation in social behavior phenotype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Kabelik
- Department of Biology & Program in Neuroscience, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN 38112, USA.
| | - Allison R Julien
- Department of Biology & Program in Neuroscience, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN 38112, USA
| | - Dave Ramirez
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
High turbidity levels alter coral reef fish movement in a foraging task. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5976. [PMID: 33742061 PMCID: PMC7979735 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84814-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Sensory systems allow animals to detect and respond to stimuli in their environment and underlie all behaviour. However, human induced pollution is increasingly interfering with the functioning of these systems. Increased suspended sediment, or turbidity, in aquatic habitats reduces the reactive distance to visual signals and may therefore alter movement behaviour. Using a foraging task in which fish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus) had to find six food sites in an aquarium, we tested the impact of high turbidity (40-68 NTU; 154 mg/L) on foraging efficiency using a detailed and novel analysis of individual movements. High turbidity led to a significant decrease in task efficacy as fish took longer to begin searching and find food, and they travelled further whilst searching. Trajectory analyses revealed that routes were less efficient and that fish in high turbidity conditions were more likely to cover the same ground and search at a slower speed. These results were observed despite the experimental protocol allowing for the use of alternate sensory systems (e.g. olfaction, lateral line). Given that movement underlies fundamental behaviours including foraging, mating, and predator avoidance, a reduction in movement efficiency is likely to have a significant impact on the health and population dynamics of visually-guided fish species.
Collapse
|
29
|
Santiago-Arellano A, Palomera-Hernandez V, Camacho-Cervantes M. Con- and Heterospecific Shoaling Makes Invasive Guppies More Risk Taking. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.624245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Behavioral traits are recognized as key to promote individual’s survival in changing conditions. For social species being part of a group is key to carry out vital activities. Heterospecific social environments could provide exotic species with the opportunity to join groups and gain the advantages of being part of a larger population. Short latency to exit a refuge is a behavioral response that could be linked to invasion success as it increases the chances of individuals to locate food sources and other resources in novel environments. The guppy (Poecilia reticulata), a successful invader, has been found to take advantage of the presence of native species to reduce its refuge emergence latency and acquire information. The research was carried out in Mexico, we investigated the effect of heterospecific social contexts that include natives and other invasive viviparous fishes on guppies’ refuge emergence latency. We found that guppies’ emergence latency was shorter when accompanied by another guppy than when alone. Their latency was also shorter when with other invaders and when with native goodeids, but with one of the invaders (Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus) and with goodeids (Skiffia bilineata) latency reduction was not as high as when with conspecifics or with the invader Poecilia gracilis. Our experiment supports both the idea that already established invaders could provide benefits to new ones, and that native species also provide benefits but less than invaders. Increasing our knowledge about conspecific and heterospecific social interactions that could make an exotic species become invasive is key to assess the invasion risk of a community.
Collapse
|
30
|
Cabrera D, Nilsson JR, Griffen BD. The development of animal personality across ontogeny: a cross-species review. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
|
31
|
Hansen M, Burns A, Monk C, Schutz C, Lizier J, Ramnarine I, Ward A, Krause J. The effect of predation risk on group behaviour and information flow during repeated collective decisions. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
|
32
|
Lukas J, Kalinkat G, Miesen FW, Landgraf T, Krause J, Bierbach D. Consistent Behavioral Syndrome Across Seasons in an Invasive Freshwater Fish. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.583670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the linkage between behavioral types and dispersal tendency has become a pressing issue in light of global change and biological invasions. Here, we explore whether dispersing individuals exhibit behavioral types that differ from those remaining in the source population. We investigated a feral population of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) that undergoes a yearly range shift cycle. Guppies are among the most widespread invasive species in the world, but in temperate regions these tropical fish can only survive in winter-warm freshwaters. Established in a thermally-altered stream in Germany, guppies are confined to a warm-water influx in winter, but can spread to peripheral parts as these become thermally accessible. We sampled fish from the source population and a winter-abandoned site in March, June and August. Fish were tested for boldness, sociability and activity involving open-field tests including interactions with a robotic social partner. Guppies differed consistently among each other in all three traits within each sample. Average trait expression in the source population differed across seasons, however, we could not detect differences between source and downstream population. Instead, all populations exhibited a remarkably stable behavioral syndrome between boldness and activity despite strong seasonal changes in water temperature and associated environmental factors. We conclude that random drift (opposed to personality-biased dispersal) is a more likely dispersal mode for guppies, at least in the investigated stream. In the face of fluctuating environments, guppies seem to be extremely effective in keeping behavioral expressions constant, which could help explain their successful invasion and adaptation to new and disturbed habitats.
Collapse
|
33
|
McGhee KE, Barbosa AJ, Bissell K, Darby NA, Foshee S. Maternal stress during pregnancy affects activity, exploration and potential dispersal of daughters in an invasive fish. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
|
34
|
Ramsaran V, Jackson B, Bucciol S, Puniani T, Lawrence M, Elvidge C. Predator kairomones elicit bold, exploratory behaviours in juvenile bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
|
35
|
Hagmayer A, Furness AI, Pollux BJA. Parasite infestation influences life history but not boldness behavior in placental live-bearing fish. Oecologia 2020; 194:635-648. [PMID: 33141323 PMCID: PMC7683485 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04795-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Parasites can negatively affect the reproductive success of hosts. Placental species may be particularly susceptible, because parasite-induced stress during pregnancy could potentially influence embryo development. Here, we examine the consequences of a trematode infestation (black spot disease, BSD) for fetal development and adult behavior in 19 natural populations of the placental live-bearing fish species Poeciliopsis retropinna (Poeciliidae) in Costa Rica. First, we observed substantial variation in parasite infestation among populations which correlated with a number of local environmental conditions (elevation, river width, depth, and flow velocity). Furthermore, we observed substantial variation in parasite infestation among females within populations associated with maternal age and size. We found that the infestation rate significantly influenced embryonic development, with more heavily parasitized females producing smaller and worse-conditioned offspring at birth, possibly, because a costly immune response during pregnancy limits, either directly or indirectly, nourishment to developing embryos. Finally, a behavioral experiment in the field showed that the infestation rate did not affect an individual's boldness. Our study indicates that in placental live-bearing fish parasite infestation leads to reduced embryo provisioning during pregnancy, resulting in a smaller offspring size and quality at birth potentially with negative implications for offspring fitness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andres Hagmayer
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrew I Furness
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA, 92697, USA.,Department of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Bart J A Pollux
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, 6708 WD, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Xu W, Yao Q, Zhang W, Zhang F, Li H, Xu R, Li C, Zhang B. Environmental complexity during early life shapes average behavior in adulthood. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Personality has been identified in a range of animal taxa during the last few decades, with important ecological and evolutionary implications. Investigating the effects of environmental factors during early life can provide important insights into the ontogeny of animal personality. We reared newborn mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, in tanks of different structural complexities, and measured their behavioral traits (i.e., shyness, exploration, and sociability) when they reached sexual maturity. Univariate linear mixed-effects models were fitted to test the effects of environmental complexity and sex on population-average behavior, whereas multivariate models were fitted to quantify behavioral repeatability (i.e., personality) and among-individual correlations (i.e., behavioral syndromes). On average, females were shyer and more social than males, and the fish reared in complex environments were shyer, less explorative, and more social than those reared in open environments. Among-individual differences were consistently large across trials for all behaviors, indicating that personality variation was present in mosquitofish of both sexes reared in different environments. Repeatability did not differ among behaviors, and there were no differences in repeatability in any behavior between sexes or among environments. A negative correlation between shyness and exploration was found in mosquitofish from all treatments at both phenotypic and among-individual levels, with the latter indicating a strong shyness–exploration behavioral syndrome. Our study provides robust evidence that average levels of personality might vary when mosquitofish are raised in different levels of structural complexity during early life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenjiu Xu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Qi Yao
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Wenwen Zhang
- Nanjing Institute of Environmental Sciences, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Haifeng Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Renxin Xu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Chunlin Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, China
- Institute of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Baowei Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Goodman AC, Wong RY. Differential effects of ethanol on behavior and GABA A receptor expression in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) with alternative stress coping styles. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13076. [PMID: 32753576 PMCID: PMC7403336 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69980-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in stress responses between individuals are linked to factors ranging from stress coping styles to sensitivity of neurotransmitter systems. Many anxiolytic compounds (e.g. ethanol) can increase stressor engagement through modulation of neurotransmitter systems and are used to investigate stress response mechanisms. There are two alternative suites of correlated behavioral and physiological responses to stressors (stress coping styles) that differ in exploration tendencies: proactive and reactive stress coping styles. By chronically treating individuals differing in stress coping style with ethanol, a GABA-acting drug, we assessed the role of the GABAergic system on the behavioral stress response. Specifically, we investigated resulting changes in stress-related behavior (i.e. exploratory behavior) and whole-brain GABAA receptor subunits (gabra1, gabra2, gabrd, & gabrg2) in response to a novelty stressor. We found that ethanol-treated proactive individuals showed lower stress-related behaviors than their reactive counterparts. Proactive individuals showed significantly higher expression of gabra1, gabra2, and gabrg2 compared to reactive individuals and ethanol treatment resulted in upregulation of gabra1 and gabrg2 in both stress coping styles. These results suggest that impacts of ethanol on stress-related behaviors vary by stress coping style and that expression of select GABAA receptor subunits may be one of the underlying mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexander C Goodman
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA.
| | - Ryan Y Wong
- Department of Biology, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE, 68182, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
White DP, Nannini MA, Wahl DH. Examining the effects of chronic, lake-wide elevated temperatures on behavioural expression in largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2020; 97:39-50. [PMID: 32154914 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 03/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Many behaviours have differential fitness consequences across thermal and ecological contexts, indicating that both ecological shifts and warming temperatures induced by climatic change may alter how organisms behave. However, empirical evidence of temperature-driven behavioural selection in natural systems is lacking. We compared behaviours and behavioural syndromes related to activity, exploration, boldness and aggression in populations of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) from ambient lakes to the those from artificially warmed, power plant cooling lakes to investigate changes in behaviours associated with warmer environments. Activity, exploration, boldness and aggression of juvenile largemouth bass were assessed in laboratory conditions using a novel environment assay and a risky situation assay. We found that activity and exploratory behaviours were higher and decreased through first year ontogeny in populations from heated lakes, whereas these behaviours were lower and showed no relationship through ontogeny in populations from ambient lakes. We attribute these differences to the changes in food source availability in heated lakes associated with temperature-driven ecological effects. Bold and aggressive behaviours tended to differ between populations, as did correlations between behaviours, but did not differ between ambient and heated lakes. The findings of this work identify that large ecological changes associated with warming environments, such as food availability, may drive changes in some aspects of behavioural expression in largemouth bass but that other aspects of behavioural expression may be driven by lake-specific factors not related to warming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dalon P White
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
- Sam Parr Biological Station, Illinois Natural History Survey, Kinmundy, Illinois, USA
| | - Michael A Nannini
- Sam Parr Biological Station, Illinois Natural History Survey, Kinmundy, Illinois, USA
| | - David H Wahl
- Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois, USA
- Sam Parr Biological Station, Illinois Natural History Survey, Kinmundy, Illinois, USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Methling C, Blažek R, Řežucha R, Reichard M. Individual-level pace-of-life syndromes in annual killifish are mediated by intersexual and interspecific differences. Evol Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-020-10059-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|
40
|
Predictors of individual variation in reversal learning performance in three-spined sticklebacks. Anim Cogn 2020; 23:925-938. [PMID: 32514661 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01399-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility is a type of phenotypic plasticity that can influence how animals cope with environmental change and is often measured with a reversal learning paradigm. The goal of this study was to understand why individuals differ in behavioral flexibility, and whether individual differences in behavioral flexibility fit the predictions of coping styles theory. We tested whether individual variation in flexibility correlates with response to novelty (response to a novel object), boldness (emergence into a novel environment), and behavioral persistence (response to a barrier), and tested for trade-offs between how quickly individuals learn an initial discrimination and flexibility. We compare results when reversal learning performance is measured during an early step of reversal learning (e.g. the number of errors during the first reversal session) to when reversal learning performance is measured by time to criterion. Individuals that made fewer mistakes during an early step of reversal learning spent more time away from the novel object, were less bold, less persistent, and performed worse during initial discrimination learning. In contrast, time to criterion was not correlated with any of the behaviors measured. This result highlights the utility of dissecting the steps of reversal learning to better understand variation in behavioral flexibility. Altogether, this study suggests that individuals differ in flexibility because flexibility is a key ingredient to their overall integrated strategy for coping with environmental challenges.
Collapse
|
41
|
Carbia PS, Brown C. Seasonal variation of sexually dimorphic spatial learning implicates mating system in the intertidal Cocos Frillgoby (Bathygobius cocosensis). Anim Cogn 2020; 23:621-628. [DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01366-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
42
|
DiSciullo RA, Basolo AL. Body size, but not age‐at‐maturation or context, affects the expression of predator‐induced behavioural plasticity in female green swordtails (
Xiphophorus hellerii
). Ethology 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
|
43
|
Jolly CJ, Webb JK, Gillespie GR, Hughes NK, Phillips BL. Bias averted: personality may not influence trappability. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2742-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
|
44
|
Contextual fear learning and memory differ between stress coping styles in zebrafish. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9935. [PMID: 31289317 PMCID: PMC6617452 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46319-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals frequently overcome stressors and the ability to learn and recall these salient experiences is essential to an individual’s survival. As part of an animal’s stress coping style, behavioral and physiological responses to stressors are often consistent across contexts and time. However, we are only beginning to understand how cognitive traits can be biased by different coping styles. Here we investigate learning and memory differences in zebrafish (Danio rerio) displaying proactive and reactive stress coping styles. We assessed learning rate and memory duration using an associative fear conditioning paradigm that trained zebrafish to associate a context with exposure to a natural olfactory alarm cue. Our results show that both proactive and reactive zebrafish learn and remember this fearful association. However, we note significant interaction effects between stress coping style and cognition. Zebrafish with the reactive stress coping style acquired the fear memory at a significantly faster rate than proactive fish. While both stress coping styles showed equal memory recall one day post-conditioning, reactive zebrafish showed significantly stronger recall of the conditioned context relative to proactive fish four days post-conditioning. Through understanding how stress coping strategies promote biases in processing salient information, we gain insight into mechanisms that can constrain adaptive behavioral responses.
Collapse
|
45
|
Gasparini C, Speechley EM, Polverino G. The bold and the sperm: positive association between boldness and sperm number in the guppy. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:190474. [PMID: 31417746 PMCID: PMC6689634 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.190474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Assessing the consequences of personality traits on reproductive success is one of the most important challenges in personality studies and critical to understand the evolutionary implications of behavioural variability among animals. Personality traits are typically associated with mating acquisition in males, and, hence, linked to variation in their reproductive success. However, in most species, sexual selection continues after mating, and sperm traits (such as sperm number and quality) become very important in determining post-mating competitive success. Here, we investigate whether variation in personality traits is associated with variation in sperm traits using the guppy (Poecilia reticulata), a species with high levels of sperm competition. We found a positive association between boldness and sperm number but not sperm velocity, suggesting that bolder males have increased post-copulatory success than shyer individuals. No association was found between exploration and sperm traits. Our work highlights the importance of considering post-copulatory traits when investigating fitness consequences of personality traits, especially in species with high levels of female multiple matings and hence sperm competition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clelia Gasparini
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Elizabeth M. Speechley
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Giovanni Polverino
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Western Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Xu JJ, Fu SJ, Fu C. Physiological and behavioral stress responses to predators are altered by prior predator experience in juvenile qingbo ( Spinibarbus sinensis). Biol Open 2019; 8:bio.041012. [PMID: 31097443 PMCID: PMC6550089 DOI: 10.1242/bio.041012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
All vertebrates exhibit physiological responses to predator stress and these responses are the basis of appropriate behavioral adaptation. We aimed to identify the physiological and behavioral responses of juvenile qingbo (Spinibarbus sinensis) to its natural predator, the southern catfish (Silurus meridionalis) and to test whether these responses could be altered by prior predator experience. We measured the routine metabolic rate (RMR), cortisol levels and spontaneous behavior of both predator-naive and predator-experienced qingbo under predator-absent, predator-present and non-predator-present (Hemibarbus maculatus) conditions. Predator-naive qingbo showed a typical stress response in the form of increased RMR and cortisol when exposed to predators. Spontaneous activity showed no difference between prior-experience groups or among stimulus conditions when tested alone; however, when tested with a companion, predator-naive qingbo showed increased activity and decreased distance to the stimulus arena under the predator-present condition than they did under the predator-absent condition. Both predator-naive and predator-experienced qingbo showed different physiological and behavioral responses between predatory and non-predatory fish, which suggested that predator-naive qingbo can instinctually discriminate between natural predators and non-predators. Predator-naive qingbo increase their inspection behavior when exposed to a predator compared with the predator-absent condition only when tested with a companion, which is possibly due to decreased predation risk and increased boldness. Summary: A predator-naive carp can recognize its natural predator, and this recognition can be intensified by prior experience with a predator or the presence of a conspecific.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Jia Xu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Shi-Jian Fu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| | - Cheng Fu
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, 401331, China
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Darby NA, McGhee KE. Boldness is affected by recent experience with predation cues and body size in mosquitofish. Behav Processes 2019; 164:143-149. [PMID: 31071386 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2018] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Adjusting behaviour can be crucial to prey surviving a predator encounter. How any one individual modifies their behaviour in response to predation risk might be affected by their previous experience with danger and their own vulnerability. Using western mosquitofish, we examined how boldness in different contexts was affected by an individual's recent experience with predation risk. Individuals were repeatedly chased by a largemouth bass model and encountered alarm cue to mimic conditions of high risk (cues twice on 2 days), low risk (cues twice on 1 day), or no risk (water only). We then measured boldness and avoidance behaviour under three different contexts: in a novel tank, with a shoal of conspecifics, and with alarm cues and a model predator. We found that how recent experiences influenced boldness in a novel tank depended on body size. Smaller fish from the no and low risk treatments were more likely to emerge from a shelter into a novel environment than larger individuals. When individuals had recently experienced high levels of risk however, this pattern was reversed. We also found that individuals who had experienced any recent risk (low and high) were more likely to leave the safety of a shoal and approach a novel object compared to individuals who had not experienced any recent danger. Avoidance behaviour across the three assays was not affected by recent experiences but was affected by body size to varying degrees. For example, larger fish were more likely to stay in the plants, away from the cues of predation compared to smaller fish. Overall, our results suggest that how recent experiences with risk influence subsequent behaviour can depend on a variety of interacting factors including the intensity of recent experiences, the particular behaviour examined, and an individual's body size.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Niko A Darby
- University of the South, Spencer Hall, room 159, 56 Alabama Ave., 37375, Sewanee, United States
| | - Katie E McGhee
- University of the South, Spencer Hall, room 159, 56 Alabama Ave., 37375, Sewanee, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Fuss T, Nöbel S, Witte K. It's in the eye of the beholder: visual lateralisation in response to the social environment in poeciliids. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2019; 94:759-771. [PMID: 30854659 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The social environment offers fish complex information about the quality, performance, personality and other cues of potential mates and competitors simultaneously. It is likely, therefore, that the environmental information regarding the context of mate choice is perceived and processed differently in species and sexes in respect to lateralisation. The present study comparatively assessed visual lateralisation behaviour in response to different social or sexual stimuli in three closely related poeciliid species (P. latipinna, P. mexicana, P. formosa) in comparison to a more distantly related species (P. reticulata). Individuals were presented with four different social or sexual stimuli that were tested against a control stimulus; (a) a conspecific male, (b) a conspecific female, (c) a heterosexual conspecific pair, (d) three conspecific females (shoal). In order to approach a target stimulus, focal fish had to perform detours to the right or left of a vertically straight-shaped barrier. The three closely related poeciliid species, P. latipinna, P. mexicana, P. formosa, appeared to have a general tendency to turn right (i.e., left-eye preference), whereas the more distantly related P. reticulata males and females showed an overall bias to the left (i.e., right-eye preference) in response to various social-sexual incitements. Moreover, body size seemed to significantly influence especially the males' detour behaviour, with smaller males acting in opposition to their larger conspecifics in response to certain social stimuli. In this case, smaller and larger Poecilia spp. males responded in the same way as smaller and larger males of the other three poeciliid species. Therefore, results possibly point to differences in the degree of general social behaviour between closely and more distantly related species and mating motivation amongst larger and smaller individuals when placed in a novel social environment. Hence, present results possibly suggest a sex-specific functional lateralisation for the analysis of visual information and seem to support the closer ancestral relationships between the Poecilia spp. tested in this study and the more distantly related guppies in terms of their left-right lateralisation. Generally, present results suggest that functional asymmetries in behaviour could be widespread among vertebrates, thus supporting the hypothesis of an early evolution of lateralisation in brain and behaviour.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Theodora Fuss
- Research Group of Ecology and Behavioural Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
| | - Sabine Nöbel
- Research Group of Ecology and Behavioural Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- Laboratoire Évolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, IRD, UPS, Toulouse, France
| | - Klaudia Witte
- Research Group of Ecology and Behavioural Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Siegen, Siegen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Lawrence MJ, Godin JGJ, Zolderdo AJ, Cooke SJ. Chronic Plasma Cortisol Elevation Does Not Promote Riskier Behavior in a Teleost Fish: A Test of the Behavioral Resiliency Hypothesis. Integr Org Biol 2019; 1:obz009. [PMID: 33791525 PMCID: PMC7671160 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obz009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Stressed fish have been shown to have higher predator-induced mortality than unstressed conspecifics, suggesting a role for the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal axis in modifying risk-taking behaviors. Yet, there is also evidence of behavioral resiliency in the face of chronic stressors. Here, we tested the behavioral resiliency hypothesis, which posits that animals can maintain consistent behavioral phenotypes in the face of significant physiological challenges. We determined whether chronic plasma cortisol elevation promotes risk-taking behaviors in a model teleost fish, the pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus). Experimental fish were implanted with cocoa butter either as a sham or with cortisol. At 48 h post-implantation, the behavior of individual focal fish was tested in an experimental arena comprising of a simulated physical refuge, an open zone containing a constrained conspecific shoal, and a compartment containing either a model of a northern pike (Esox lucius) paired with corresponding pike olfactory cues in lake water or no pike model (control) paired with sham lake water cues only. The fish were assayed individually for their refuge utilization, shoaling tendency, and general activity. Neither cortisol treatment nor predation-risk treatment influenced any of these behaviors. This suggests that sunfish, in the context of our experiment, were behaviorally resilient to the physiological effects of chronic plasma cortisol elevation and in the face of an apparent threat of predation. Our results thus provide support for the behavioral resiliency hypothesis in fish under both physiological and ecological stressors. We posit that behavioral resiliency is an evolutionary adaptation ensuring appropriate responses to environmental conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Lawrence
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6.,Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Jean-Guy J Godin
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Aaron J Zolderdo
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6.,Queen's University Biological Station, Queen's University, Elgin, Ontario, Canada K0G 1E0
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Plath M, Liu K, Umutoni D, Gomes-Silva G, Wei JF, Cyubahiro E, Chen BJ, Sommer-Trembo C. Predator-induced changes of male and female mating preferences: innate and learned components. Curr Zool 2019; 65:305-316. [PMID: 31263489 PMCID: PMC6595919 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoz003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While many mating preferences have a genetic basis, the question remains as to whether and how learning/experience can modify individual mate choice decisions. We used wild-caught (predator-experienced) and F1 laboratory-reared (predator-naïve) invasive Western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis from China to test whether mating preferences (assessed in a first mate choice test) would change under immediate predation threat. The same individuals were tested in a second mate choice test during which 1 of 3 types of animated predators was presented: 1) a co-occurring predator, 2) a co-evolved but not currently co-occurring predator, and 3) a non-piscivorous species as control. We compared preference scores derived from both mate choice tests to separate innate from experiential effects of predation. We also asked whether predator-induced changes in mating preferences would differ between sexes or depend on the choosing individual’s personality type and/or body size. Wild-caught fish altered their mate choice decisions most when exposed to the co-occurring predator whereas laboratory-reared individuals responded most to the co-evolved predator, suggesting that both innate mechanisms and learning effects are involved. This behavior likely reduces individuals’ risk of falling victim to predation by temporarily moving away from high-quality (i.e., conspicuous) mating partners. Accordingly, effects were stronger in bolder than shyer, large- compared with small-bodied, and female compared with male focal individuals, likely because those phenotypes face an increased predation risk overall. Our study adds to the growing body of literature appreciating the complexity of the mate choice process, where an array of intrinsic and extrinsic factors interacts during decision-making.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Plath
- Department of Basic and Applied Zoology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology in Agriculture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Kai Liu
- Department of Basic and Applied Zoology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Diane Umutoni
- Department of Basic and Applied Zoology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Guilherme Gomes-Silva
- Department of Basic and Applied Zoology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.,Sino-Canadian Center for Environment & Sustainable Development, Department of Geography ("Saude Ambiental"), Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jie-Fei Wei
- Department of Basic and Applied Zoology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Eric Cyubahiro
- Department of Basic and Applied Zoology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Bo-Jian Chen
- Department of Basic and Applied Zoology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.,College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Carolin Sommer-Trembo
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Institute of Zoology, University of Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|