Quantification of shoaling behaviour in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Miller, Noam; Gerlai, Robert

doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2007.07.007

Behavioural Brain Research

2007

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2007.07.007

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Quantification of shoaling behaviour in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Noam Miller

Robert Gerlai

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Cited by 288 publications

(268 citation statements)

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“…Our data suggest that zebrafish do not achieve a balance between protection from predation and foraging by compromising on a particular density of shoaling, as previous authors have assumed, but by the cohesion of a shoal fluctuating periodically, with fish moving closer and farther away from their neighbors. If the oscillations reported here are indeed driven, as we suggest, by the need to balance safety and foraging efficiency, then they may be affected by environmental manipulations such as the appearance of a predator or presentation of food [5]. …”

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confidence: 77%

“…Here, using custom software [5], we examined high temporal resolution data on the positions of free-swimming zebrafish (Daniorerio). We focused on the distances between individuals within a group (AvD) and examined how they change over time.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Detailed methods of the experiment are available in [5]. All analyses were run in Mathematica (Version 4.0 for Windows, Wolfram Technologies).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Using custom software described in detail elsewhere [5], we extracted from the videos of the experiments the average distance in cm between any two fish (AvD). AvD is the average of the inter-individual distances (IIDs), which are the average distance of a given fish from all the other fish in the enclosure.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Video files were recoded for the current analysis as described elsewhere [5]. Detailed methods of the experiment are available in [5].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Oscillations in shoal cohesion in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Miller

Gerlai

2008

Behavioural Brain Research

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In many species, group cohesion may be the result of a compromise between opposing forces (e.g. predator avoidance and competition for food). However, little empirical data exists on the dynamics of group cohesion. We present moment-to-moment positional data on zebrafish shoals and analyze temporal changes in inter-individual distances. We demonstrate that the distance between shoal members does not settle at any given value, as has previously been assumed, but oscillates with a period between 5 and 15 s. KeywordsShoaling; Schooling; Zebrafish; Oscillations Many species, from ants to humans, live in groups and interact with each other [13,14]. Members of groups often face opposing forces: some factors may favor tighter groups and others favor more dispersed groups. For example, numerous group-forming species must balance the requirements of efficient foraging with protection from predation: foraging efficiency increases with decreasing group density [10,12] but protection from predation decreases [4,6]. Many researchers have argued that as a result of such opposing forces, group density should settle at a species-specific optimal value. Whilst several models have been developed to take such opposing forces into account and to explain how an optimal group density or size are achieved (e.g. Refs. [16,7]), the temporal dynamics of group density changes, if they occur at all, have been ignored. Most previous experimental studies of group behavior have averaged the distances between group members over several observation periods, or considered only the nearest neighbors of each individual (e.g. Ref. [8]). Thus, the data to validate or disprove the existence of an optimal group density or its temporal stability do not exist.Here, using custom software [5], we examined high temporal resolution data on the positions of free-swimming zebrafish (Daniorerio). We focused on the distances between individuals within a group (AvD) and examined how they change over time. Our initial examination of the data suggested that there may be regular oscillations in shoal density, as measured by the average distance between fish, and we investigated whether these oscillations were robust and whether they had a characteristic frequency. We show that zebrafish do not settle on an average distance from conspecifics in the shoal, but that shoal density fluctuates with a characteristic frequency. To examine shoaling preferences, 3 groups of 16 zebrafish each were placed in a 91-cm diameter circular tank and filmed from above for 30min per session for 6 sessions. Using custom software described in detail elsewhere [5], we extracted from the videos of the experiments the average distance in cm between any two fish (AvD). AvD is the average of the inter-individual distances (IIDs), which are the average distance of a given fish from all the other fish in the enclosure.Five 1-min long sections of the sessions (at 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 min from the start of the session) were coded at 1 s intervals (one frame per second). Thus, each datase...

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confidence: 77%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Detailed methods of the experiment are available in [5]. All analyses were run in Mathematica (Version 4.0 for Windows, Wolfram Technologies).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Video files were recoded for the current analysis as described elsewhere [5]. Detailed methods of the experiment are available in [5].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Oscillations in shoal cohesion in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Miller

Gerlai

2008

Behavioural Brain Research

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Phenomics Approach to Investigate Behavioral Toxicity of Environmental or Occupational Toxicants in Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

et al. 2021

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Over the last few years, environmental pollution, especially water pollution, has become a serious issue worldwide. Thus, methods that can help us understand the impact and effects of these pollutants, especially on aquatic animals, are needed. Behavioral assessment has emerged as a crucial tool in toxicology and pharmacology because many studies have shown, in multiple animal models, that various pharmacological compounds can alter behavior, with many of the findings being translatable to humans. Moreover, behavior study can also be used as a suitable indicator in the ecotoxicological risk assessment of pollutants. Several model organisms, especially rodent models, have been extensively employed for behavior studies. However, assessments using this model are generally time consuming, expensive, and require extensive facilities for housing experimental animals. Moreover, behavioral studies typically use different measurements and assessment tools, making comparisons difficult. In addition, even though behavioral phenomics has the potential to comprehensively illustrate the toxicities of chemicals, there is only a limited number of studies focusing on animal behavior using such a global approach. Here, we describe a phenomics approach that can be used to investigate the impact of pollutants using zebrafish. The approach consists of several behavioral tests, including response to a novel environment, mirror‐reflection image, predator fish, and conspecifics, after exposure to a test chemical. Phenotype fingerprinting, a method for summarizing individual phenotypes based on the results of the behavioral tests, is then conducted to reduce data complexity and display the pattern of each compound on behavioral phenotypes in zebrafish. This approach may be useful to researchers studying the potential adverse effects of different pollutants. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Novel tank test Basic Protocol 2: Shoaling test Basic Protocol 3: Aggression test (mirror biting test) Basic Protocol 4: Social interaction test Basic Protocol 5: Fear response test Basic Protocol 6: PCA and heatmap clustering

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Embryonic alcohol exposure: Towards the development of a zebrafish model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

Gerlai

2015

Developmental Psychobiology

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Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a devastating disease of the brain caused by exposure to alcohol during prenatal development. Its prevalence exceeds 1%. The majority of FASD cases represent the milder forms of the disease which often remain undiagnosed, and even when diagnosed treatment options for the patient are limited due to lack of information about the mechanisms that underlie the disease. The zebrafish has been proposed as a model organism for exploring the mechanisms of FASD. Our laboratory has been studying the effects of low doses of alcohol during embryonic development in the zebrafish. This review discusses the methods of alcohol exposure, its effects on behavioral performance including social behavior and learning, and the potential underlying biological mechanisms in zebrafish. It is based upon a recent keynote address delivered by the author, and it focuses on findings obtained mainly in his own laboratory. It paints a promising future of this small vertebrate in FASD research.

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Quantification of shoaling behaviour in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Cited by 288 publications

References 40 publications

Oscillations in shoal cohesion in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Oscillations in shoal cohesion in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Phenomics Approach to Investigate Behavioral Toxicity of Environmental or Occupational Toxicants in Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Embryonic alcohol exposure: Towards the development of a zebrafish model of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders

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