Environmental influences on territoriality of juvenile brook charr, Salvelinus fontinalis, in a stream environment

McNicol, Richard E.; Noakes, David L. G.

doi:10.1007/bf00001660

Cited by 57 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 29 publications

(51 reference statements)

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“…The present study is one of the few in the wild. Observational data indicate that territory size in salmonids is inversely related to food abundance, but also decreases with increasing intruder pressure (Dill et al, 1981;McNicol & Noakes, 1984;Keeley & Grant, 1995). Unlike other taxonomic groups, data for salmonids are consistent with the hypothesis that the allometric increase in territory size is to meet their increasing energetic requirements (Grant, 1997).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

Shadow competition in wild juvenile sea‐trout

Elliott

2002

Journal of Fish Biology

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Shadow competition occurs in a group of sit-and-wait predators when those closer to a source of mobile prey reduce the feeding success of those further from the prey source. It was examined in territorial juvenile sea trout Salmo trutta in a small stream. The fry formed groups of two to six fish with adjacent territories and a social hierarchy within each group. It was hypothesized that: (i) as group size increased, the mean number of prey eaten per fish within a group decreased and the variability in prey consumption between fish increased; (ii) prey consumption by individual fish decreased with increasing distance from the food source; (iii) group size increased as the mean water velocity immediately upstream from a group, and hence potential drifting food, increased. Five groups of fry were fed on small shrimps released upstream from each group at a rate of one every 15 s over a 10 min period, this procedure being repeated over 5 days to provide five replicates per group. Experiments were performed three times in 1967, 1969 and 1974 to provide information on 45 groups of fry. The first and third hypotheses were supported, but the second was only partially supported. In 1967 and 1969, territory size and shrimp consumption by individual fry decreased with increasing distance from the food source. This also occurred in 1974, except during a critical period for survival when fry density was exceptionally high with large numbers of sea trout lacking territories. This resulted in sea trout fry with the largest territories eating fewer shrimps than those with medium-sized territories because they spent more time defending their territories against sea trout lacking territories. This study is the first to demonstrate shadow competition in a vertebrate species, but has also shown that territorial defence may modify the consequences of shadow competition when densities are high and there is strong competition for the acquisition of a territory.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 55%

Shadow competition in wild juvenile sea‐trout

Elliott

2002

Journal of Fish Biology

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“…Brook charr, a congener of Arctic charr, alters its aggression type as stocking density increases (McNicol and Noakes 1984). Brook charr exhibit more threat display behaviors at higher densities, compared with increased biting, nipping, and chasing activities at lower densities.…”

Section: Behavioral and Predatory Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Brook charr exhibit more threat display behaviors at higher densities, compared with increased biting, nipping, and chasing activities at lower densities. Decreased physical attacks apparently decrease the energetic costs associated with social encounters under high densities where fish may be experiencing reduced caloric intake as a result of stress, competition, and lower food conversion efficiencies (McNicol and Noakes 1984).…”

Section: Behavioral and Predatory Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stress-associated impacts of short-term holding on fishes

Portz

Woodley

Cech

2006

Rev Fish Biol Fisheries

340

298

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Most sources of stress in aquaculture, fish salvage, stocking programs, and commercial and sport fisheries may be unavoidable. Collecting, handling, sorting, holding, and transporting are routine practices that can have significant effects on fish physiology and survival. Nevertheless, an understanding of the stressors affecting fish holding can lead to practices that reduce stress and its detrimental effects. The stress-related effects of short-term holding are influenced by water quality, confinement density, holding container design, and agonistic and predation-associated behaviors. Physiological demands (e.g., resulting from confinement-related stresses) exceeding a threshold level where the fish can no longer compensate may lead to debilitating effects. These effects can be manifested as suppressed immune systems; decreased growth, swimming performance, or reproductive capacity; even death. Furthermore, holding tolerance may depend upon the species, life stage, previous exposure to stress, and behavior of the held fish. Water quality is one of the most important contributors to fish health and stress level. Fish may be able to tolerate adverse water quality conditions; however, when combined with other stressors, fish may be quickly overcome by the resulting physiological challenges. Temperature, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, salinity, pH, carbon dioxide, alkalinity, and hardness are the most common water quality parameters affecting physiological stress. Secondly, high fish densities in holding containers are the most common problem throughout aquaculture facilities, live-fish transfers, and fish salvage operations. Furthermore, the holding container design may also compromise the survival and immune function by affecting water quality, density and confinement, and aggressive interactions. Lastly, fishes held for relatively short durations are also influenced by negative interactions, associated with intraspecific and interspecific competition, cannibalism, predation, and determining nascent hierarchies. These interactions can be lethal (i.e., predation) or may act as a vector for pathogens to enter (i.e., bites and wounds). Predation may be a significant source of mortality for fisheries practices that do not sort by size or species while holding. Stress associated with short-term holding of fishes can have negative effects on overall health and well-being. These four aspects are major factors contributing to the physiology, Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2006behavior, and survival of fishes held for a relatively short time period.

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“…Several investigations have examined aggression in relation to density or group size (e.g., Blanckenhorn 1992, Fenderson & Carpenter 1971, Keenleyside & Yamamoto 1962, Magnuson 1962, Sale 1972) but most have examined only a limited range of densities [but see Keenleyside & Yamamoto (1962) and Jones (1983)]. Furthermore, the majority of investigations have studied salmonids (e.g., Fenderson & Carpenter 1971, Keenleyside & Yamamoto 1962, McNicol & Noakes 1984 with only occasional studies on other families including centrarchids (Blanckenhorn 1992) labrids (Jones 1983) pomacentrids (Sale 1972) cyprinodontids (Magnuson 1962) cyprinids (Gillis & Kramer 1987) and poeciliids (Farr & Herrnkind 1974).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of group size on space use and aggression at a concentrated food source in blue gouramis, Trichogaster trichopterus (Pisces: Belontiidae)

Syarifuddin

Kramer

1996

Environ Biol Fish

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SynopsisWe examined how spatial distribution and the use of aggressive behavior by blue gouramis, Trichogaster trichopterus (Belontiidae), in the presence of a concentrated food source were affected by group size and by the short-term presence and absence of food. Gouramis aggregated in the area of the food source, and the frequency of aggressive acts per fish was higher for fish near the food source than for fish away from it. The frequency of aggressive acts per fish near the food source decreased with group size and was about 50 times higher in groups of 2 and 4 than it was in groups of 16 and 32. In group sizes 2 and 4, the frequency of aggression was unaffected by the presence and absence of food, but in larger group sizes aggression increased during short intervals without food. The mean proportion of time spent near the food source increased from group size 2 to group size 8 and decreased from group size 8 to group size 32 and was greater during intervals of food availability than during intervals in which food was not available. We suggest that gouramis adjust their relative use of contest and scramble competition according to the costs and benefits of aggression as determined by the number of competitors and by the potential for missed feeding opportunities. The average proportion of time spent in the vicinity of the food source appears to be influenced by both the rate of aggression and by the net rate of gain available.

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Environmental influences on territoriality of juvenile brook charr, Salvelinus fontinalis, in a stream environment

Cited by 57 publications

References 29 publications

Shadow competition in wild juvenile sea‐trout

Shadow competition in wild juvenile sea‐trout

Stress-associated impacts of short-term holding on fishes

The effect of group size on space use and aggression at a concentrated food source in blue gouramis, Trichogaster trichopterus (Pisces: Belontiidae)

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