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Eutrophication alters social preferences in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

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Abstract

Algae blooms, which can be caused by eutrophication, drastically influence the ecology and behaviour of aquatic organisms. Such impact is often demonstrated in the context of mate choice and predator–prey interactions. In contrast, the influence of increased turbidity on social behaviour is less well understood, although it may have strong influence, at both the level of the individual and the population. We aimed to address this gap in our knowledge by using the well-described preference of three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to shoal with the larger of two shoals as model behaviour. In our experiments focal fish had the choice between two shoals of different sizes, either in clear or in turbid water containing green algae. Fish in clear water spent significantly more time near the larger shoal, while fish in algae water showed no significant preferences. Furthermore, fish tested in clear water changed more often between the shoals than fish tested in algae water. These results indicate that eutrophication-induced algae blooms have the potential to alter social decisions of sticklebacks. Such changes of social decisions do not only influence the behaviour of individuals, furthermore it might influence entire populations. This might eventually lead to changes of the structure of the social system.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Bettina Wernisch for breeding and to Roland Sasse, Martina Krakhofer and Eva Strasser for caring for the fish. We thank Christina Schmidl for analysing the videos. The manuscript was improved by the comments of Alex Jordan, Arne Jungwirth and two anonymous referees.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Konrad Lorenz Institute for Ethology, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstr. 1a, 1160, Vienna, Austria

    Stefan Fischer & Joachim G. Frommen

  2. Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Berne, Wohlenstrasse 50a, 3032, Hinterkappelen, Switzerland

    Stefan Fischer & Joachim G. Frommen

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  1. Stefan Fischer
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  2. Joachim G. Frommen
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Correspondence to Stefan Fischer.

Additional information

Communicated by J. Lindström

Ethical standards

The experiments followed the “ABS/ASAB guidelines for the treatment of animals in behavioural research and teaching” and comply with the current laws of Austria.

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Fischer, S., Frommen, J.G. Eutrophication alters social preferences in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 67, 293–299 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-012-1449-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-012-1449-6

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