The effects of adult sex ratio on mating competition in male and female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) in two wild populations

Chuard, Pierre; Brown, G. E.; Grant, James W. A.

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2016.05.001

Cited by 18 publications

(35 citation statements)

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“…This could be explained by an increase in perceived competition, leading prey to higher competition for resources. Guppies under low-risk conditions exhibit an increase in rates of competition (Chuard et al 2016), thus we might postulate that water from undisturbed conspecific donors influence competitive behaviours.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does donor group size matter? The response of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) to disturbance cues from conspecific and heterospecific donors

et al. 2019

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Prey are under immense pressure to make context-specific, behavioural decisions. Prey use public information to reduce the costs associated with making inappropriate decisions. Chemical cues are commonly used by aquatic vertebrates to assess local threats and facilitate behavioural decision making. Previous studies on chemosensory assessment of risk have largely focused on damage-released alarm cues, with the cues released by disturbed or stressed prey (i.e., disturbance cues) receiving less attention. Disturbance cues are “early-warning signals” common among aquatic vertebrates that may warn conspecific and heterospecific prey guild members of potential risk. Initially, we conducted a series of laboratory studies to determine (i) if guppies (Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859) produce and respond to disturbance cues and (ii) if relative concentration (donor group size) determines response intensity. Secondly, we examined if guppies and convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata (Günther, 1867)) show similar response patterns to their own vs. heterospecific disturbance cues. Our results suggest that guppies exhibit increased predator avoidance behaviour to conspecific disturbance cues (relative to water from undisturbed conspecifics) and increased donor group size lead to stronger antipredator responses. However, although guppies and cichlids respond to each other’s disturbance cues, we found no effect of donor group size towards heterospecific disturbance cues. Our results suggest that disturbance cues are not generalized cues and present a degree of species-specificity.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Does donor group size matter? The response of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) to disturbance cues from conspecific and heterospecific donors

et al. 2019

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“…2005 ). The risky competition hypothesis ( Chuard et al. 2016 ) predicts a decrease in intraspecific aggression rates under high ambient predation risk (i.e., in populations adapted to high predation regime), in the absence of an imminent predation threat (e.g., Qvarnstrom et al.…”

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“…Recent findings suggest an interaction between CRR, ambient predation risk, and sex on mating competition in Trinidadian guppies ( Chuard et al. 2016 ).…”

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“…Both males and females typically increased their aggression rates toward same-sex individuals as the relative number of mates decreased, except for males from the high ambient predation population: hence, the significant interaction. Chuard et al. (2016) argue that this exception might be due to the use of less risky alternative mating tactics by males instead of aggression to secure mates under high-ambient predation risk.…”

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“…We compared intrasexual aggression and foraging rates of wild-caught male and female Trinidadian guppies, from a high versus low ambient predation risk population (i.e., the same 2 populations used by Chuard et al. 2016 ), and under different food CRRs, to test the following predictions ( Table 1 ).…”

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Competition for food in 2 populations of a wild-caught fish

2018

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Aggressive behavior when competing for resources is expected to increase as the ratio of competitors-to-resource ratio (CRR) units increases. Females are expected to be more aggressive than males when competing for food when body size is more strongly related to reproductive success in females than in males, whereas aggression is predicted to decrease under high ambient predation risk by natural selection. Under the risk allocation model, however, individuals under high ambient predation risk are expected to be more aggressive, and forage more in the absence of imminent risk than their low risk counterparts. An interaction between adult sex ratio (i.e., adult males/females), ambient predation risk (high vs. low), and sex on intrasexual competition for mates in Trinidadian guppies Poecilia reticulata has been shown. The interaction suggested an increase in aggression rates as CRR increased, except for males from the high predation population. To compare the patterns of competition for food versus mates, we replicated this study by using food patches. We allowed 4 male or 4 female guppies from high and low predation populations to compete for 5, 3, or 1 food patches. The foraging rate was higher in a high rather than low ambient predation risk population. Surprisingly, CRR, sex, and population of origin had no effect on aggression rates. Despite other environmental differences between the 2 populations, the effect of ambient predation risk may be a likely explanation for differences in foraging rates. These results highlight the importance for individuals to secure food despite the cost of competition and predation.

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Adult sex ratio influences courtship behaviour, contest behaviour and breeding success in Onthophagus taurus

Zhang,

Sliep,

Versteegh

et al. 2024

Animal Behaviour

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The effects of adult sex ratio on mating competition in male and female guppies (Poecilia reticulata) in two wild populations

Cited by 18 publications

References 78 publications

Does donor group size matter? The response of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) to disturbance cues from conspecific and heterospecific donors

Does donor group size matter? The response of guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) to disturbance cues from conspecific and heterospecific donors

Competition for food in 2 populations of a wild-caught fish

Adult sex ratio influences courtship behaviour, contest behaviour and breeding success in Onthophagus taurus

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