Abstract
Food search behavior in Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) to extracts of granulated food was quantified and compared with the response to solutions of amino acid mixtures. The concentration of each of 18 amino acids was analyzed in the food extract and similar pure amino acid solutions were prepared. Earlier published electrophysiological data and the data of concentrations in the test area were used to order the amino acids with respect to their presumed contribution to the stimulatory effect of the food extract. The 18 amino acids were tested collectively (18 aa) or were divided into two groups, one group containing 7 amino acids (7 aa) which was presumed to have a high stimulatory effect and the other group containing the remaining 11 amino acids (11 aa). The solutions of 7, 11, and 18 aa were stimulatory at concentrations between 2 and 5 × 10−6 M, but no significant responses were observed at 2–5 × 10−9 M. This can be compared with the food extract which elicited response at all concentrations tested, i.e., the total concentrations of 18 amino acids were 5 × 10−9, 5 × 10−8, 5 × 10−7, and 5 × 10−6 M. The response to the 18 aa solution was compared with the food extract and was shown to be significantly lower at 5 × 10−9 M but not at 5 × 10−6 M. These results show that amino acids induce food search behavior in Arctic charr, but there are other substances which also contribute to the stimulatory effect of the food extract.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adron, J.W., andMackie. A.M. 1978. Studies on the chemical nature of feeding stimulants for rainbow trout,Salmo gairdneri Richardson.J. Fish Biol. 12:303–310.
Ali, M.A. 1975. Retinomotor responses, pp. 313–355,in M.A. Ali (ed.). Vision in Fishes, New Approaches in Research. Plenum Press, New York.
Atema, J. 1971. Structures and functions of the sense of taste in catfish (Ictalurus natalis).Brain Behav. Evol. 4:273–294.
Atema, J. 1980. Chemical senses, chemical signals, and feeding behavior in fishes, pp. 57–101,in J. E. Bardach, J. J. Magnuson, R. C. May, and J. M. Reinhart (eds.). Fish Behavior and its Use in the Capture of Fishes. ICLARM Conference Proceedings 5. International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management, Manila, Philippines.
Atema, J., Holland, K., andIkehara, W. 1980. Olfactory responses of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) to prey odors: Chemical search image.J. Chem. Ecol. 6:457–465.
Bardach, J.E., andVillars, T. 1974. The chemical senses of fishes, pp. 49–104,in P.T. Grant and A.M. Mackie (eds.). Chemoreception by Marine Organisms. Academic Press, New York.
Bardach, J.E., Todd, J.H., andCrickmer, R. 1967. Orientation by taste in fish of the genusIctalurus.Science 155:1276–1278.
Belghaug, R., andDøving, K.B. 1977. Odor threshold determined by studies of the induced waves in the olfactory bulb of the char (Salmo alpinus L.).Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 57A:327–330.
Bengtsson, G. 1982. Energetic costs of amino acids exudation in the interaction between the predatorGammarus pulex L. and the preyAsellus aquaticus L.J. Chem. Ecol. 8:1271–1281.
Brown, S.B., andHara, T.J. 1981. Accumulation of chemostimulatory amino acids by a sedimentable fraction isolated from olfactory rosette of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).Biochim. Biophys. Acta 675:149–162.
Cagan, R.H., andZeiger, W.N. 1978. Biochemical studies of olfaction: binding specificity of radioactively labeled stimuli to an isolted olfactory preparation from rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75: 4679–4683.
Caprio, J. 1982. High sensitivity and specificity of olfactory and gustatory receptors of catfish to amino acids, pp. 109–134,in T.J. Hara (ed.). Chemoreception in Fishes. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Carr, W.E.S., andChaney, T.B. 1976. Chemical stimulation of feeding behavior in the pinfish,Lagodon romboides: Characterization and identification of stimulatory substances extracted from shrimp.Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 54A:437–441.
Colquhoun, D. 1971. Lectures in Biostatistics. An Introduction to Statistics with Application in Biology and Medicine. Claredon Press, Oxford. 425 pp.
De Kock, L.L. 1963. A histological study of the head region of two salmonids with special reference to pressor- and chemoreceptors.Acta Anat. 55:39–50.
Dempsey, C.H. 1978. Chemical stimuli as a factor in feeding and intraspecific behavior of herring larvae.J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. U.K. 58:739–747.
Eaker, D. 1970. Determination of free and protein-bound amino acids, pp. 171–194,in A.E. Bender, R. Kihlberg, B. Löfqvist, and L. Munck (eds.). Evaluation of Novel Protein Products. Pergamon Press, Oxford.
Ezeasor, D.N. 1982. Distribution and ultrastructure oftaste buds in the oropharyngeal cavity of the rainbow trout,Salmo gairdneri Richardson.J. Fish Biol. 20:53–68.
Gardner, W.S., andMiller W.H., III. 1981. Intracellular composition and net release rates of amino acids inDaphnia magna.Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 38:157–162.
Hammar, J. 1984. Ecological characters of different combinations of sympatric populations of Arctic charr in Sweden, pp. 35–63,in L. Johnson and B.L. Burns (eds.). Biology of the Arctic Charr. Proceedings of the International Symposium of Arctic Charr, Winnipeg, Manitoba, May 1981. University of Manitoba Press, Winnipeg.
Hara, T.J. 1973. Olfactory responses to amino acids in rainbow trout,Salmo gairdneri.Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 44A:407–416.
Hara, T.J. 1976. Structure-activity relationships of amino acids in fish olfaction.Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 54A: 31–36.
Hara, T.J. 1977. Further studies on the structure-activity relationships of amino acids in fish olfaction.Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 56A:559–565.
Hara, T.J. 1982. Structure-activity relationships of amino acids as olfactory stimuli, pp. 135–157,in T.J. Hara (ed). Chemoreception in Fishes. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Harada, K., andIkeda, I. 1984. Feeding attractants in chemical constituents of lake prawn for oriental weather fish.Bull. Jpn. Soc. Sci. Fish. 50:617–622.
Hashimoto, Y., Konosu, S., Fusetani, N., andNose, T. 1968. Attractants for eels in the extracts of short-necked clam. I. Survey of constituents eliciting feeding behavior by the omission test.Bull. Jpn. Soc. Sci. Fish. 34:78–83.
Höglund, L.B. 1961. The reactions of fish in concentration gradients.Inst. Freshwater Res. Drottningholm Rep. 43:1–147.
Holland, K. 1978. Chemosensory orientation to food by a Hawaiian goatfish (Parupeneus porphyreus, Mullidae).J. Chem. Ecol. 4:173–186.
Holland, K., andTeeter, J.H. 1981. Behavioral and cardiac reflex assay of the chemosensory acuity of channel catfish to amino acids.Physiol. Behav. 27:699–707.
Johnson, L. 1980. The arctic charr,Salvelinus alpinus, pp. 15–98,in E.K. Balon (ed.). Charrs: Salmonid Fishes of the Genus Salvelinus. Dr. W. Junk bv Publishers, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Kamchen, R., andHara, T.J. 1980. Behavioral reactions of whitefish (Coregonusclupeaformis) to food extract: An application to sublethal toxicity bioassay.Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 975:182–191.
Klemetsen, A., andGrotnes, P.E. 1980. Coexistence and immigration of two sympatric Arctic charr, pp. 757–763,in E.K. Balon (ed.). Charrs: Salmonid Fishes of the Genus Salvelinus. Dr. W. Junk bv Publishers, The Hague, The Netherlands.
Konosu, S., Fusetami, N., Nose, T., andHashimoto, Y. 1968. Attractants for eels in the extracts of short-necked clam. II. Survey of constituents eliciting feeding behavior by fractionation of the extracts.Bull. Jpn. Soc. Sci. Fish. 34:84–87.
Mackie, A.M. 1982. Identification of the gustatory stimulants, pp. 275–292,in T.J. Hara (ed.). Chemoreception in Fishes. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
Mackie, A.M., Adron, J.W., andGrant, P.T. 1980. Chemical nature of feeding stimulants for the juvenile Dover sole,Solea solea (L.).J. Fish Biol. 16:701–708.
Marui, T., Evans, R.E., Zielinski, B., andHara, T.J. 1983. Gustatory responses of the rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) palate to amino acids and derivatives.J. Comp. Physiol. 153:423–433.
McBride, J.R., Idler, D.R., Jonas, R.E.E., andTomlinson, N. 1962. Olfactory perception in juvenile salmon. I. Observations on response of juvenile sockeye to extracts of foods.J. Fish. Res. Board. Can. 19:327–334.
Meyer-Rochow, V.B. 1981. Fish tongues: Surface fine structures and ecological considerations.Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 71:413–426.
Nilsson, N.-A., andFilipsson, O. 1971. Characteristics of two discrete populations of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.) in a north Swedish lake.Inst. Freshwater Res. Drottningholm Rep. 51:90–108.
Pärt, P., andSvanberg, O. 1981. Uptake of cadmium in perfused rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) gills.Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 38:917–924.
Pawson, M.G. 1977. Analysis of a natural chemical attractant for whitingMerlangius merlangus L, and codGadus morhua L. using a behavioral bioassay.Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 56A: 129–135.
Ringler, N.H. 1979. Prey selection by benthic feeders, pp. 219–229,in R. Stroud and H. Clepper (eds.). Predator-Prey Systems in Fishery Management. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Predator-Prey Systems in Fish Communities and their Role in Fisheries Management. Atlanta, Georgia, July 24–27, 1978. Sport Fishing Institute, Washington, D.C. 504 pp.
Sokal, R.R., andRohlf, F.J. 1969. Biometry—The Principles and Practice of Statistics in Biological Research. W.H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco.
Steven, D.M. 1959. Studies on the shoaling behavior of fish. I. Responses of two species to changes of illumination and to olfactory stimuli.J. Exp. Biol. 36:261–280.
Sutterlin, A.M., andSutterlin, N. 1970. Taste responses in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) parr.J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 27:1927–1942.
Wankowski, J.W.J. 1981. Behavioral aspects of predation by juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) on particulate, drifting prey.Anim. Behav. 29:557–571.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Olsén, K.H., Karlsson, L. & Helander, A. Food search behavior in arctic charr,Salvelinus alpinus (L.), induced by food extracts and amino acids. J Chem Ecol 12, 1987–1998 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041948
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01041948