دورية أكاديمية

Density-Dependent Habitat Selection in a Growing Threespine Stickleback Population.

التفاصيل البيبلوغرافية
العنوان: Density-Dependent Habitat Selection in a Growing Threespine Stickleback Population.
المؤلفون: Candolin, Ulrika1 ulrika.candolin@helsinki.fi, Selin, Marita1
المصدر: International Journal of Zoology. 2012, p1-6. 6p. 1 Diagram, 3 Graphs.
مصطلحات موضوعية: *HABITAT selection, *THREESPINE stickleback, *EUTROPHICATION, *ANIMAL young, *FORAGING behavior (Humans), *POPULATION, *ANIMAL behavior
مصطلحات جغرافية: BALTIC Sea
مستخلص: Human-induced eutrophication has increased offspring production in a population of threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus in the Baltic Sea. Here, we experimentally investigated the effects of an increased density of juveniles on behaviours that influence survival and dispersal, and, hence, population growth-habitat choice, risk taking, and foraging rate. Juveniles were allowed to choose between two habitats that differed in structural complexity, in the absence and presence of predators and conspecific juveniles. In the absence of predators or conspecifics, juveniles preferred the more complex habitat. The preference was further enhanced in the presence of a natural predator, a perch Perca fluviatilis (behind a transparent Plexiglas wall).However, an increased density of conspecifics relaxed the predator-enhanced preference for the complex habitat and increased the use of the open, more predator-exposed habitat. Foraging rate was reduced under increased perceived predation risk. These results suggest that density-dependent behaviours can cause individuals to choose suboptimal habitats where predation risk is high and foraging rate low. This could contribute to the regulation of population growth in eutrophicated areas where offspring production is high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
قاعدة البيانات: Academic Search Index
الوصف
تدمد:16878477
DOI:10.1155/2012/378913