1
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Schons RF, Vitt S, Thünken T. Environmental habituation and sexual composition affect juveniles' shoaling activity in a cichlid fish (Pelvicachromis taeniatus). JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2021; 99:1307-1317. [PMID: 34184282 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14836] [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: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Group living is widespread in animals, and many fishes form shoals. Examining within-group interactions in fishes may contribute to the general understanding of dynamic social structures in animals. The sex ratio of a group has been shown to influence grouping decisions of fishes and can be expected to affect behaviour at group level. Behavioural experiments usually involve relatively short acclimatisation times, although the establishment of environmental habituation in fishes is understudied. This study tests whether the sex ratio and long-term habituation to experimental conditions influence general shoal performance (activity parameters, density) and responses of shoals to an acoustic-mechanical disturbance cue in juveniles of the cichlid fish Pelvicachromis taeniatus via individual tracking. The disturbance consisted of a defined hit against the experimental tank, which caused sudden noise and water movement. We found that a higher proportion of females increases shoal activity (swimming speed and distance covered), suggesting that female P. taeniatus are more active than males. Furthermore, shoal activity declined when shoals habituated to the experimental settings and with the time that the shoals were grouped together, which may reflect intensified group member familiarity. Moreover, behavioural changes after disturbance were weaker when individuals were kept with their group longer and more familiar to the experimental conditions. For prey species, lower activity might be beneficial under natural conditions due to lower conspicuousness of the group. We did not find any significant effects of the investigated factors on shoal density (mean interindividual distance) and speed synchronisation. The results indicate that sexual composition, familiarity between shoal members and habituation to the experimental environment affect shoal performance in a cichlid fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rieke F Schons
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Simon Vitt
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Timo Thünken
- Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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2
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Sbrana A, Valente T, Scacco U, Bianchi J, Silvestri C, Palazzo L, de Lucia GA, Valerani C, Ardizzone G, Matiddi M. Spatial variability and influence of biological parameters on microplastic ingestion by Boops boops (L.) along the Italian coasts (Western Mediterranean Sea). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 263:114429. [PMID: 32222624 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Recently, many studies focus on the ingestion of microplastics by marine biota. Fish exploit almost every kind of marine environment, occupy many ecological niches and are an important food source for human populations worldwide. For these reasons, they seem to represent very appropriate biological indicators of microplastic ingestion. UNEP/MAP SPA/RAC (2018) identified the bogue, Boops boops (Linnaeus, 1758), as a possible target species for monitoring microplastic ingestion in fish populations. This study provides the first report of microplastic ingestion by B. boops from the Tyrrhenian and the Ligurian Seas (Western Mediterranean Sea). Generalized Linear Mixed Models were used to analyse the relationship among biological parameters and environmental factors. A total of 379 bogues were collected in three Italian regions, subject to different anthropogenic pressures (river input, human population, shipping lanes and distance from the coast). Microplastics were detected in the gastrointestinal tract of most individuals (56%) with a mean of 1.8 (±0.2) microplastics per individual. Our study further confirms that this species is able to highlight differences in the ingestion of microplastics according to local anthropization, resulting Latium region to be the most polluted. Fish with lower physical condition are more likely to ingest microplastics, suggesting a relationship with the level of local environmental contamination. Finally, the ingestion of microplastics might be influenced by behavioural differences between sexes. According to our results, males ingest significantly more microplastics than females (p < 0.05). Our research confirms that an extensive knowledge on the biology of a bioindicator species is a priority for developing a valid monitoring strategy, such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive for European waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Sbrana
- ISPRA, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00144, Rome, RM, Italy
| | - Tommaso Valente
- ISPRA, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00144, Rome, RM, Italy
| | - Umberto Scacco
- ISPRA, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00144, Rome, RM, Italy
| | - Jessica Bianchi
- ISPRA, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00144, Rome, RM, Italy; Department of Ecology and Biology, University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis 44, 01100, Viterbo, VT, Italy
| | - Cecilia Silvestri
- ISPRA, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00144, Rome, RM, Italy
| | - Luca Palazzo
- Department of Ecology and Biology, University of Tuscia, Via S. Camillo de Lellis 44, 01100, Viterbo, VT, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Andrea de Lucia
- IAS-CNR, Institute of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in Marine Environment- National Research Council Loc. Sa Mardini, 09170, Torregrande, OR, Italy
| | - Claudio Valerani
- Parco Nazionale delle "Cinque Terre", Via Discovolo snc - c/o Stazione Manarola, 19017 Riomaggiore, SP, Italy
| | - Giandomenico Ardizzone
- Department of Environmental Biology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", Viale dell'Università 32, 00185, Rome, RM, Italy
| | - Marco Matiddi
- ISPRA, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Via di Castel Romano 100, 00144, Rome, RM, Italy.
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3
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Arzel C, Nummi P, Arvola L, Pöysä H, Davranche A, Rask M, Olin M, Holopainen S, Viitala R, Einola E, Manninen-Johansen S. Invertebrates are declining in boreal aquatic habitat: The effect of brownification? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 724:138199. [PMID: 32408448 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.138199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Surface water browning affects boreal lakes in the Northern Hemisphere. This process is expected to increase with global warming. Boreal lakes are the most numerous lakes on Earth. These ecosystems are particularly sensitive to disturbances due to their low biodiversity compared to other aquatic environments. The recent darkening of surface water is expected to hinder key ecosystem processes, particularly through lower primary productivity and loss of biodiversity. However, studies based on long-term data collections have rarely been conducted on the ecological consequences of water browning on aquatic food webs, especially concerning its impacts on invertebrate communities. For the first time, our analysis based on two decades of data collection in Finnish lakes highlighted a relation between water browning and a decline in aquatic macroinvertebrate abundances. Aquatic invertebrates are the main food resource for many secondary predators such as fish and waterbirds, hence such effect on their populations may have major consequences for boreal ecosystem functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Céline Arzel
- Department of Biology, FI-20014, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 27, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Petri Nummi
- Department of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 27, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Lauri Arvola
- University of Helsinki, Lammi Biological Station, FI-16900 Lammi, Finland.
| | - Hannu Pöysä
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Yliopistokatu 6, FI-80100 Joensuu, Finland.
| | - Aurélie Davranche
- University of Angers, LETG-UMR CNRS 6554, 2 Boulevard Lavoisier, FR-49000 Angers, France.
| | - Martti Rask
- University of Helsinki, Lammi Biological Station, FI-16900 Lammi, Finland.
| | - Mikko Olin
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Latokartanonkaari 9, FI-00790 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Sari Holopainen
- Department of Forest Sciences, P.O. Box 27, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Risto Viitala
- HAMK University of Applied Sciences Evo Campus, Forestry, Saarelantie 1, FI-16970 Evo, Finland.
| | - Eeva Einola
- Vanajavesi Center, Perttulantie 84, FI-13430 Hämeenlinna, Finland.
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4
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Žák J, Jůza T, Blabolil P, Baran R, Bartoň D, Draštík V, Frouzová J, Holubová M, Ketelaars HAM, Kočvara L, Kubečka J, Mrkvička T, Muška M, Říha M, Sajdlová Z, Šmejkal M, Tušer M, Vašek M, Vejřík L, Vejříková I, Wagenvoort AJ. Invasive round goby Neogobius melanostomus has sex-dependent locomotor activity and is under-represented in catches from passive fishing gear compared with seine catches. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2018; 93:147-152. [PMID: 29931676 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The higher proportion of males of the invasive round goby Neogobius melanostomus in samples from two activity selective passive fishing gears compared with one activity non-selective fishing gear in three Dutch lakes is related to higher male locomotory activity and is a sex-dependent trait. This difference in activity reflects the different ecology of male and female N. melanostomus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Žák
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Jůza
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Blabolil
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Roman Baran
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Bartoň
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Vladislav Draštík
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslava Frouzová
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Holubová
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Luboš Kočvara
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Kubečka
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Mrkvička
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Economics, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Muška
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Říha
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Sajdlová
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Šmejkal
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Tušer
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Mojmír Vašek
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáš Vejřík
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Vejříková
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
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5
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Horton AA, Jürgens MD, Lahive E, van Bodegom PM, Vijver MG. The influence of exposure and physiology on microplastic ingestion by the freshwater fish Rutilus rutilus (roach) in the River Thames, UK. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 236:188-194. [PMID: 29414339 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.01.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics are widespread throughout aquatic environments. However, there is currently insufficient understanding of the factors influencing ingestion of microplastics by organisms, especially higher predators such as fish. In this study we link ingestion of microplastics by the roach Rutilus rutilus, within the non-tidal part of the River Thames, to exposure and physiological factors. Microplastics were found within the gut contents of roach from six out of seven sampling sites. Of sampled fish, 33% contained at least one microplastic particle. The majority of particles were fibres (75%), with fragments and films also seen (22.7% and 2.3% respectively). Polymers identified were polyethylene, polypropylene and polyester, in addition to a synthetic dye. The maximum number of ingested microplastic particles for individual fish was strongly correlated to exposure (based on distance from the source of the river). Additionally, at a given exposure, the size of fish correlated with the actual quantity of microplastics in the gut. Larger (mainly female) fish were more likely to ingest the maximum possible number of particles than smaller (mainly male) fish. This study is the first to show microplastic ingestion within freshwater fish in the UK and provides valuable new evidence of the factors influencing ingestion that can be used to inform future studies on exposure and hazard of microplastics to fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice A Horton
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK; Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Monika D Jürgens
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Elma Lahive
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Maclean Building, Benson Lane, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK
| | - Peter M van Bodegom
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Martina G Vijver
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9518, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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6
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Estlander S, Kahilainen KK, Horppila J, Olin M, Rask M, Kubečka J, Peterka J, Říha M, Huuskonen H, Nurminen L. Latitudinal variation in sexual dimorphism in life-history traits of a freshwater fish. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:665-673. [PMID: 28116061 PMCID: PMC5243782 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/05/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is common across the animal kingdom, but the contribution of environmental factors shaping differences between the sexes remains controversial. In ectotherms, life‐history traits are known to correlate with latitude, but sex‐specific responses are not well understood. We analyzed life‐history trait variation between the sexes of European perch (Perca fluviatilis L.), a common freshwater fish displaying larger female size, by employing a wide latitudinal gradient. We expected to find sex‐dependent latitudinal variation in life‐history variables: length at age, length increment, and size at maturity, with females showing consistently higher values than males at all latitudes. We further anticipated that this gender difference would progressively decrease with the increasingly harsh environmental conditions toward higher latitude. We hypothesized that growth and length increment would decrease and size/age at maturity would increase at higher latitudes. Our results confirmed female‐biased sexual size dimorphism at all latitudes and the magnitude of sexual dimorphism diminished with increase in latitude. Growth of both sexes decreased with increase in latitude, and the female latitudinal clines were steeper than those of males. Hence, we challenge two predominant ecological rules (Rensch's and Bergmann's rules) that describe common large‐scale patterns of body size variation. Our data demonstrate that these two rules are not universally applicable in ectotherms or female‐biased species. Our study highlights the importance of sex‐specific differences in life‐history traits along a latitudinal gradient, with evident implications for a wide range of studies from individual to ecosystems level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satu Estlander
- Department of Environmental Sciences/Aquatic Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Kimmo K Kahilainen
- Department of Environmental Sciences/Aquatic Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Jukka Horppila
- Department of Environmental Sciences/Aquatic Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Mikko Olin
- Department of Environmental Sciences/Aquatic Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Martti Rask
- Natural Resources Institute Finland Jyväskylä Finland
| | - Jan Kubečka
- Biological Centre Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Hydrobiological Institute České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Peterka
- Biological Centre Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Hydrobiological Institute České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Milan Říha
- Biological Centre Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Hydrobiological Institute České Budějovice Czech Republic
| | - Hannu Huuskonen
- Department of Biology University of Eastern Finland Joensuu Finland
| | - Leena Nurminen
- Department of Environmental Sciences/Aquatic Sciences University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
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7
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Predator–prey interactions in a changing world: humic stress disrupts predator threat evasion in copepods. Oecologia 2016; 183:887-898. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3801-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 12/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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8
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Hedström P, Bystedt D, Karlsson J, Bokma F, Byström P. Brownification increases winter mortality in fish. Oecologia 2016; 183:587-595. [PMID: 27915414 PMCID: PMC5306166 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3779-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 11/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In northern climates, winter is a bottleneck for many organisms. Low light and resource availability constrains individual foraging rates, potentially leading to starvation and increased mortality. Increasing input of humic substances to aquatic ecosystems causes brownification of water and hence a further decrease of light availability, which may lead to further decreased foraging rates and starvation mortality during winter. To test this hypothesis, we measured the effects of experimentally increased humic water input on consumption and survival of young-of-the-year three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) over winter in large outdoor enclosures. Population densities were estimated in autumn, and the following spring and food availability and consumption were monitored over winter. As hypothesized, mortality was higher under humic (76%) as compared to ambient conditions (64%). In addition, body condition and ingested prey biomass were lower under humic conditions, even though resource availability was not lower under humic conditions. Light conditions were significantly poorer under humic conditions. This suggests that increased mortality and decreased body condition and ingested prey biomass were not due to decreased resource availability but due to decreased search efficiency in this visual feeding consumer. Increased future brownification of aquatic systems may, therefore, negatively affect both recruitment and densities of fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Per Hedström
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - David Bystedt
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jan Karlsson
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Folmer Bokma
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Pär Byström
- Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
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9
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Pekcan‐Hekim Z, Hellén N, Härkönen L, Nilsson PA, Nurminen L, Horppila J. Bridge under troubled water: Turbulence and niche partitioning in fish foraging. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:8919-8930. [PMID: 28035280 PMCID: PMC5192875 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Revised: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The coexistence of competing species relies on niche partitioning. Competitive exclusion is likely inevitable at high niche overlap, but such divide between competitors may be bridged if environmental circumstances displace competitor niches to enhance partitioning. Foraging-niche dimension can be influenced by environmental characteristics, and if competitors react differently to such conditions, coexistence can be facilitated. We here experimentally approach the partitioning effects of environmental conditions by evaluating the influence of water turbulence on foraging-niche responses in two competing fish species, Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis and roach Rutilus rutilus, selecting from planktonic and benthic prey. In the absence of turbulence, both fish species showed high selectivity for benthic chironomid larvae. R. rutilus fed almost exclusively on zoobenthos, whereas P. fluviatilis complemented the benthic diet with zooplankton (mainly copepods). In turbulent water, on the other hand, the foraging-niche widths of both R. rutilus and P. fluviatilis increased, while their diet overlap simultaneously decreased, caused by 20% of the R. rutilus individuals turning to planktonic (mainly bosminids) prey, and by P. fluviatilis increasing foraging on littoral/benthic food sources. We show that moderate physical disturbance of environments, such as turbulence, can enhance niche partitioning and thereby coexistence of competing foragers. Turbulence affects prey but not fish swimming capacities, with consequences for prey-specific distributions and encounter rates with fish of different foraging strategies (pause-travel P. fluviatilis and cruise R. rutilus). Water turbulence and prey community structure should hereby affect competitive interaction strengths among fish species, with consequences for coexistence probability as well as community and system compositions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noora Hellén
- Department of Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Laura Härkönen
- Department of Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Per Anders Nilsson
- Department of Biology ‐ Aquatic EcologyLund UniversityLundSweden
- Department of Environmental and Life Sciences ‐ BiologyKarlstad UniversityKarlstadSweden
| | - Leena Nurminen
- Department of Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
| | - Jukka Horppila
- Department of Environmental SciencesUniversity of HelsinkiHelsinkiFinland
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10
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Weaver PF, Tello O, Krieger J, Marmolejo A, Weaver KF, Garcia JV, Cruz A. Hypersalinity drives physiological and morphological changes in Limia perugiae (Poeciliidae). Biol Open 2016; 5:1093-101. [PMID: 27402966 PMCID: PMC5004605 DOI: 10.1242/bio.017277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental question in biology is how an organism's morphology and physiology are shaped by its environment. Here, we evaluate the effects of a hypersaline environment on the morphology and physiology of a population of livebearing fish in the genus Limia (Poeciliidae). We sampled from two populations of Limia perugiae (one freshwater and one hypersaline) in the southwest Dominican Republic. We evaluated relative abundance of osmoregulatory proteins using western blot analyses and used a geometric morphometric approach to evaluate fine-scale changes to size and shape. Our data show that gill tissue isolated from hypersaline fish contained approximately two and a half times higher expression of Na(+)/K(+) ATPase proteins. We also show evidence for mitochondrial changes within the gills, with eight times more complex I and four times higher expression of ATP synthase within the gill tissue from the hypersaline population. The energetic consequences to Limia living in saline and hypersaline environments may be a driver for phenotypic diversity, reducing the overall body size and changing the relative size and shape of the head, as well as impeding the growth of secondary sex features among the males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo F Weaver
- Department of Biology, University of La Verne, 1950 3rd St., La Verne, CA 91750, USA
| | - Oscar Tello
- Department of Biology, University of La Verne, 1950 3rd St., La Verne, CA 91750, USA
| | - Jonathan Krieger
- Herbarium, Library, Art & Archives Directorate, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 3AE, UK
| | - Arlen Marmolejo
- Instituto de Investigaciones Botánicas y Zoológicas Prof. Rafael M. Moscoso, Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
| | - Kathleen F Weaver
- Department of Biology, University of La Verne, 1950 3rd St., La Verne, CA 91750, USA
| | - Jerome V Garcia
- Department of Biology, University of La Verne, 1950 3rd St., La Verne, CA 91750, USA
| | - Alexander Cruz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0334, USA
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11
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Nurminen L, Estlander S, Olin M, Lehtonen H. Feeding efficiency of planktivores under disturbance, the effect of water colour, predation threat and shoal composition. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2014; 84:1195-1201. [PMID: 24689675 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2013] [Accepted: 12/21/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
The consumption of phantom midge Chaoborus flavicans larvae by Perca fluviatilis showed clear response to water colour, predation threat and shoal composition with the most significant negative effect for water colour. In the case of Rutilus rutilus, no similar combined response was observed and the total prey consumption was significantly negatively affected by predation threat of Esox lucius. The results suggest that differences in life-history traits may result in disparity in species-specific responses to disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Nurminen
- Department of Environmental Sciences/Aquatic Sciences, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 65, Helsinki 00014, Finland
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12
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Borg JPG, Westerbom M, Lehtonen H. Sex-specific distribution and diet of Platichthys flesus at the end of spawning in the northern Baltic Sea. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2014; 84:937-951. [PMID: 24641237 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2013] [Accepted: 12/19/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the relationship of seascape structure, prey availability and sex on the post-spawning distribution and diet of European flounder Platichthys flesus in the northern Baltic Sea. The objectives were to determine whether: (1) wave exposure and substratum affect abundance and distribution of P. flesus, (2) diet reflects the benthic prey composition and (3) sex affects the distribution or diet of P. flesus. The results showed that P. flesus was evenly spread in the archipelago with no correlation to wave exposure. The distribution was, however, sex specific; reproductive males dominated the exposed zone and mainly post-reproductive females dominated the intermediate and sheltered zones. Platichthys flesus fed mainly on two bivalve prey species: blue mussels Mytilus edulis and Baltic tellins Macoma balthica. Hard substratum invertebrates dominated the diet in all habitats and apart from some typical soft substratum species, there was no clear link between fish feeding and the dominance structure of benthic prey. Diet was further sex specific, with females showing a broader range of diet than males. Results suggest that P. flesus is a specialist molluscivore found commonly and equally in soft- and hard-substratum habitats throughout the archipelago area. Previous studies on P. flesus in the Baltic Sea have yielded inconsistent results regarding diet and it has commonly been believed that the distribution of Baltic Sea P. flesus is linked to sand and soft substrata. The present findings emphasize the importance of including the entire range of habitats when diet and regional species distributions are assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P G Borg
- Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, P. O. Box 65, 00014, Helsinki, Finland; Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, J. A. Palméns väg 260, 10900 Hangö, Finland
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