A Neglected Science: Applying Behavior to Aquatic Conservation

Abstract

Behavioral theories, insights, and techniques are too frequently ignored by conservation biologists. Yet an animal's survival and reproductive success clearly depend on its behavior. Using examples from marine, freshwater, and terrestrial realms, I assert that behavioral information is invaluable in five conservation areas: (1) managing wild species (e.g., designing marine reserves; reducing animal–human conflicts; understanding and managing species' responses to human-induced environmental stress such as fishing, introduced species, and chemical, visual, and acoustic pollution); (2) actively reversing the decline of imperiled wild species (e.g., reducing bycatch by improving selectivity of fishing gear; re-establishing breeding populations and boosting reproduction); (3) assessing biodiversity (e.g., modeling population viability; censusing and monitoring populations and species); (4) captive breeding and reintroduction programs (e.g., minimizing loss of valuable phenotypes; teaching or maintaining valuable survival skills); and (5) changing human behavior in resource exploitation (e.g., using principles from social psychology). Both realized and potential applications to fishes are stressed. Finally, behavioral diversity, a valuable but neglected element of biodiversity, needs to be explicitly conserved to maintain diverse populations. Arguments are presented that the conservation of species diversity and genetic diversity alone does not necessarily protect important behavioral diversity. The maintenance of both individual and population variability may be essential for the preservation of a species.