6533b861fe1ef96bd12c4f28
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Behavioural responses of fish groups exposed to a predatory threat under elevated CO2
Maoz FineCarlo CattanoFederico QuattrocchiMarco MilazzoR. Holzmansubject
0106 biological sciencesChromis viridisGroup fishbiologyCoral reef fish010604 marine biology & hydrobiologyOcean acidificationZoologyPredationGeneral MedicineAquatic ScienceOceanographybiology.organism_classificationCoral reef fish010603 evolutionary biology01 natural sciencesPollutionPredationGroup cohesivenessShelter useFish <Actinopterygii>DamselfishGlobal changeRisk assessmentdescription
Most of the studies dealing with the effects of ocean acidification (OA) on fish behaviour tested individuals in isolation, even when the examined species live in shoals in the wild. Here we evaluated the effects of elevated CO2 concentrations (i.e. ∼900 μatm) on the shelter use and group cohesion of the gregarious damselfish Chromis viridis using groups of sub-adults exposed to a predatory threat. Results showed that, under predatory threat, fish reared at elevated CO2 concentrations displayed a risky behaviour (i.e. decreased shelter use), whereas their group cohesion was unaffected. Our findings add on increasing evidence to account for social dynamics in OA experiments, as living in groups may compensate for CO2-induced risky behaviour.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-05-01 |