Aggressiveness Overcomes Body-Size Effects in Fights Staged between Invasive and Native Fish Species with Overlapping Niches

Sanches, Fábio Henrique Carretero; Miyai, Caio Akira; Costa, Tânia Márcia; Christofoletti, Ronaldo Adriano; Volpato, Gilson Luiz; Barreto, Rodrigo Egydio

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0029746

Cited by 57 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Finally, the high water quality tolerance must play a central role contributing to the species' invasiveness potential (Goodwin et al 1999;Vila-Gispert et al 2005). Although not included in our study, it is likely that the aggressive behavior of M. festivus toward other species plays an important role in its invasive success in the same way that it has been demonstrated for other cichlid species (Lowe et al 2012;Sanches et al 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Ecology and life-history of Mesonauta festivus: biological traits of a broad ranged and abundant Neotropical cichlid

et al. 2014

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The cichlid Mesonauta festivus is common and abundant among macrophyte stands along a large geographical range of the Amazonas and Paraná-Paraguay basins, in South America. This broad geographical range highlights the species' dispersion ability, which can be attributed to specific biological and behavioral traits. However, the dispersion ability does not account for the broad geographical range alone, as the species must be able to establish populations in a range of environments, which include marginal areas of large rivers with different water types, floodplain lakes, and small terra-firme streams. In this work we investigated the specie's ecology, biological traits and behavior in order to understand what and how its traits may have allowed it to attain such broad geographical range and aid in establishing local populations. Regarding its dispersion ability we stress the capability of swimming in the pelagic region, which is remarkable for this species and uncommon among Neotropical cichlids. Its vagility is high even when juveniles are under parental care. Regarding population establishment, the high environmental tolerance stands out, allowing the species to live under strikingly different abiotic conditions. In addition, the small size of first sexual maturation and its capability of spawning along the whole hydrologic cycle (apparently not associated to a specific environmental cue) may also facilitate the establishment of populations into new environments. Moreover, the behavior of mimicking dead leaves, which is mainly performed by juveniles, may lessen predation pressures. Under an ecoevolutionary perspective, the traits highlighted in this work may buffer selective pressures experienced by populations in different biotic and/or abiotic conditions, which may also favor the increasing of the geographical range by allowing the evolutionary lineage to remain similar even in disconnected and/or striking different environments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Ecology and life-history of Mesonauta festivus: biological traits of a broad ranged and abundant Neotropical cichlid

et al. 2014

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“…In addition to weapon size, increased aggressiveness can also confer a competitive advantage to the smaller individual, and has been implicated in the success of multiple invasive species such as the Nile tilapia, which successfully outcompeted larger native cichlids in Brazil (Sanches et al. ). Hazlett () found similar effects among brachyuran crabs, which, as a result of their highly aggressive behavior, can often outcompete larger heterospecifics.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Competitive and agonistic interactions between the invasive Asian shore crab and juvenile American lobster

Baillie

Grabowski

2018

Ecology

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Invasive species can have profound ecological and evolutionary impacts on native fauna, particularly those from overlapping guilds. Intraguild predation and competition often occur simultaneously, and ontogenetic shifts in competitive strength can dictate the magnitude and direction of species interactions. The recent introduction of the Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus to the Atlantic coast of North America has resulted in the potential for considerable intraguild interactions with juvenile American lobsters Homarus americanus, with which it now co-occupies rocky intertidal and shallow subtidal habitats. We present data from 5 yr of monthly (May-October) field sampling revealing a significant decline in lobster density as H. sanguineus density increased in the low intertidal. To investigate potential mechanisms behind this pattern, we conducted three mesocosm experiments designed to examine whether competitive interactions between H. americanus and H. sanguineus are size- or density-dependent. Larger early benthic phase lobsters (16-34 mm CL) outcompeted H. sanguineus for both food and shelter resources. These lobsters fed faster and more in the presence of H. sanguineus, effectively defended shelter, were responsible for the majority of agonistic interactions, and, in multiple instances, killed and consumed H. sanguineus. Effects on sheltering and agonstic interactions by these lobsters were independent of H. sanguineus density; however, prior shelter residency increased lobster agonistic behavior towards crabs. In contrast, H. sanguineus outcompeted smaller, early benthic phase lobsters (7.2-11.2 mm CL) for shelter, and these interactions were density dependent. Displacement of lobsters from shelter by crabs and cumulative agonistic interactions instigated by crabs towards lobsters scaled positively with H. sanguineus density. Given the similarity of the invasion documented here and others occurring globally, these experiments demonstrate the importance of considering how factors such as ontogeny, density-dependence, and primacy influence the outcomes of interactions between intraguild predators. Disentangling how these factors structure intraguild interactions between invasive and endemic species will both advance our fundamental understanding of community ecology and enhance efforts to conserve and manage natural resources.

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“…For example, stag beetle males have larger mandibles, and larger crickets have higher aggressiveness and higher RHP [34,35,43,44]. Larger fish nests and fish males have higher RHP and higher reproductive success rates [45], and larger invasive fish have higher RHP than small native fish [46]. Therefore, in this study, as V. velutina is a similar size to or larger than V. simillima, but smaller in size than the other four native hornets, its RHP seems to be relatively low, as shown in the aggressiveness results of this study.…”

Section: Spread Effect Of V Velutina On Interspecific Competition Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interspecific hierarchies from aggressiveness and body size among the invasive alien hornet,Vespa velutina nigrithorax, and five native hornets in South Korea

Choi

Kwon

2019

Preprint

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The range of the invasive alien hornet, Vespa velutina nigrithorax, has been continuously expanding since its invasion of Korea in 2003. Here, we compared the aggressive behaviors and body size of V. velutina nigrithorax with five native hornet species to identify the interspecific hierarchies that contributes to the spread of this species. Aggressive behaviors were classified into 11 categories and each interaction was scored as a win, loss, or tie. As a result, V. velutina was superior to V. simillima in 153 fights where V. velutina won 71% and showed a high incidence of threatening behavior. V. mandarinia outperformed V. velutina in 104 fights where V. mandarinia won 91% and grappling behavior was common. V. analis was superior to V. velutina in 67 fights where V. analis won 76% and showed a high amount of threatening behavior. V. crabro was superior to V. velutina in 93 fights where V. crabro won 73% and showed a high rate of threatening behavior. V. dybowskii was superior to V. velutina in 132 fights where V. dybowskii won 91%, and showed a high rate of threatening and grappling behaviors. The body size of V.velutina was larger than V. simillima (although not statistically significant) and smaller than all other Vespa species. Therefore, according to the results of this study, the low interspecific hierarchies of V. velutina seems to be a major cause of slower spreading rates than it has shown in Europe. However, over time, its density has gradually increased within the forest, in which it seems to be overcoming its disadvantages and expanding its range, possibly as large colonies and good flying abilities make it easier to secure food.

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Aggressiveness Overcomes Body-Size Effects in Fights Staged between Invasive and Native Fish Species with Overlapping Niches

Cited by 57 publications

References 37 publications

Ecology and life-history of Mesonauta festivus: biological traits of a broad ranged and abundant Neotropical cichlid

Ecology and life-history of Mesonauta festivus: biological traits of a broad ranged and abundant Neotropical cichlid

Competitive and agonistic interactions between the invasive Asian shore crab and juvenile American lobster

Interspecific hierarchies from aggressiveness and body size among the invasive alien hornet,Vespa velutina nigrithorax, and five native hornets in South Korea

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