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Nest size preferences and aggression in sand gobies (Pomatoschistus minutus)

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Abstract

In animal competition, resource holding potential (RHP) and resource value are two important factors determining the level of aggression and the outcome of contests. One valuable resource among nest-brooding animals that is subject to intense competition is a suitable nest substrate. Sand goby males (Pomatoschistus minutus) rely on finding good nest substrates, but the strategies vary between regions. We first investigated the nest size preferences in sand gobies from Kalmar Sound, a brackish area of the Baltic Sea with a shortage of suitable shells for nest construction and few invertebrate nest predators. Males expressed clear preference for larger nest substrates regardless of the male’s own size. To manipulate resource value, we provided males with large or small nests and tested if this and/or RHP affected aggression during nest defence. Resource value (a preferred large nest vs an unpreferred small nest) had no effect on aggression. However, RHP (total length of the resident male) had a significant effect. Larger males were more aggressive than smaller ones when matched against an opponent of the same size, suggesting that resident males acted according to own RHP.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Kristofer Bergström for supplying lab equipment and the Kalmar Sound Laboratory for providing facilities. Finally, we thank Emelie Nilsson, Ramona Eriksson, Håkan Johansson, Jesper Svensson and David Alvunger for their assistance with collecting fish.

Ethical approval

All applicable international, national and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institution or practice at which the studies were conducted. All fish were released back to their natural habitat.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden

    Henrik Flink & P. Andreas Svensson

Authors
  1. P. Andreas Svensson
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Correspondence to P. Andreas Svensson.

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Communicated by K. Lindström

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Flink, H., Svensson, P.A. Nest size preferences and aggression in sand gobies (Pomatoschistus minutus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 69, 1519–1525 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-015-1964-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-015-1964-3

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