Anne Christine Utne-Palm

Visual feeding of fish in a turbid environment: Physical and behavioural aspects

Turbidity has both positive and negative effects on prey detection, by increasing or diminishing the contrast between prey and background due to the scattering of light. The positive effect of turbidity on prey contrast depends on the optical properties, scattering properties of suspended particles and the visual sensitivity of the predator. The positive effect of turbidity is pronounced for larval fish, given that their visual field is short, leaving fewer particles between them and their prey to scatter light and interfere with detection. This relationship, together with a decreased risk of predation, makes turbid environments more optimal for some species and size groups of fish (planktivores and fish larvae) and less so for others (adult piscivore fish). Thus, turbidity might have a structuring effect on a fish community. Recently it has been demonstrated that UV light might have positive effects on prey detection and consumption. How UV light might interact with different kinds of particles producing turbidity is not well documented.

Trophic Structure and Community Stability in an Overfished Ecosystem

Gobbled by Gobies A common feature of overfished marine ecosystems is a tendency for biomass to become dominated by jellyfish and microbes, and for the habitat to become anoxic or hypoxic as large fish species are removed. The Benguela ecosystem off the coast of Namibia is a case in point. Utne-Palm et al. (p. 333) describe how the loss of overfished sardines from the Benguela fishery has provided an opportunity for an endemic fish species, the bearded goby, to exploit jellyfish and microbial biomass and to increase in number. These small fish have in turn become the predominant prey species for the larger fish, birds, and mammals in the region. The significance of the goby lies in its ability to forage on resources traditionally regarded as “dead-ends.” The bearded goby has thus become a key stabilizing component to the turnover of energy in the Benguela ecosystem. An endemic goby exploits jellyfish and microbial biomass, partially restoring the food chain in the Benguela ecosystem. Since the collapse of the pelagic fisheries off southwest Africa in the late 1960s, jellyfish biomass has increased and the structure of the Benguelan fish community has shifted, making the bearded goby (Sufflogobius bibarbatus) the new predominant prey species. Despite increased predation pressure and a harsh environment, the gobies are thriving. Here we show that physiological adaptations and antipredator and foraging behaviors underpin the success of these fish. In particular, body-tissue isotope signatures reveal that gobies consume jellyfish and sulphidic diatomaceous mud, transferring “dead-end” resources back into the food chain.

Communication in troubled waters: responses of fish communication systems to changing environments

Fish populations are increasingly being subjected to anthropogenic changes to their sensory environments. The impact of these changes on inter- and intra-specific communication, and its evolutionary consequences, has only recently started to receive research attention. A disruption of the sensory environment is likely to impact communication, especially with respect to reproductive interactions that help to maintain species boundaries. Aquatic ecosystems around the world are being threatened by a variety of environmental stressors, causing dramatic losses of biodiversity and bringing urgency to the need to understand how fish respond to rapid environmental changes. Here, we discuss current research on different communication systems (visual, chemical, acoustic, electric) and explore the state of our knowledge of how complex systems respond to environmental stressors using fish as a model. By far the bulk of our understanding comes from research on visual communication in the context of mate selection and competition for mates, while work on other communication systems is accumulating. In particular, it is increasingly acknowledged that environmental effects on one mode of communication may trigger compensation through other modalities. The strength and direction of selection on communication traits may vary if such compensation occurs. However, we find a dearth of studies that have taken a multimodal approach to investigating the evolutionary impact of environmental change on communication in fish. Future research should focus on the interaction between different modes of communication, especially under changing environmental conditions. Further, we see an urgent need for a better understanding of the evolutionary consequences of changes in communication systems on fish diversity.

Prey visibility, activity, size and catchability's (evasiveness) influence on Gohiusculus flavescens prey choice

Abstract The visibility, activity, size and catchability of Calanus spp., herring larvae (Clupea harengus) and cod larvae (Gadus morhua) were quantified to reveal the importance of these prey characters on a predators (Gobiusculus flavescens) prey choice. Detection probability was positively correlated with prey size, although, G. flavescens did not attack all the detected prey. Prey activity triggered predator attacks, while prey size and catchability had no effect. A rank test (order of prey detected or attacked) and a prey electivity analysis revealed a preference for the active herring larvae and Calanus spp., and a lack of interest for the less active cod larvae. Herring larvae being both the largest and the most active prey suffered the highest risk of predation. Although Calanus spp. were preferred over cod larvae, fewer Calanus spp. than cod larvae were eaten, due to Calanus spp. having a higher evasiveness. Cod larvae responded more frequently on predator attacks than herring larvae, but the herring larvae responded more sufficient.

Effect of turbidity on habitat preference of juvenile Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua

We examined the effects of turbidity on habitat preference of juvenile Atlantic cod in the laboratory, using a shuttle box where fish could select between two different habitats. In the first experiment, we compared three turbidity levels of kaolin (3, 8 and 21 beam attenuation m−1). In the second experiment, we looked at the effect of turbidity media (kaolin versus algae), after controlling for spectral differences between turbidity media. Although cod preferred an intermediate turbidity of kaolin over low turbidity water, comparisons between low and high turbidity, and intermediate and high turbidity did not significantly influence habitat preference. Algae did not influence habitat preference by cod. Although other studies have found that turbidity affects both foraging and antipredator behaviour of juvenile cod, this study has shown that gradients in turbidity per se do not have a strong effect on their habitat preference.

Size Dependent Male Reproductive Tactic in the Two-Spotted Goby (Gobiusculus flavescens)

Male investment in testes and sperm duct gland in the polygamous nest breeding two-spotted goby Gobiusculus flavescens (Fabricius) was investigated in relation to time in reproductive season and individual physical parameters. This small teleost fish is most likely the most abundant species found along the rocky shores of the North East Atlantic. The two-spotted goby has a single reproductive season, during which nest-caring males can raise several clutches of offspring. According to the literature the males are on average larger than the females. Here we report for the first time a population showing a reversal of this trend, with males on average being smaller than females, a difference likely caused by a large proportion of small males. Early in the breeding season these small males have typical sneaker characters, with relatively large testes and small seminal duct glands compared to the larger dominant territorial males. The presence of these two alternative male reproductive tactics is confirmed by histological studies, which shows the presence of sperm in the sperm duct glands (SDG) of smaller males, but not in the SDG of intermediate and larger males. To our knowledge, males with typical sneaker characters have not been reported in earlier studied populations of two-spotted goby. Interestingly we found that testes investment declined significantly over the course of the breeding season, and that this reduction was significantly more pronounced in small compared to the large males. Further, a significant increase in seminal duct gland (SDG) mass was observed for the smaller males over the breeding season. We propose that this indicates a possible shift in mating tactic by smaller males from a parasitic to a nest-holding tactic over the course of the breeding season. Thus, the observed size dependent plasticity in investment in SDG over time suggests that the reproductive tactic of G. flavescens is conditional, and possibly influenced by mate availability and male—male competition.

Effects of light intensity on visual prey detection by juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.)

Despite the research on this important fish species for more than a century, surprisingly little is known of some fundamental aspects of the biology of Atlantic cod, such as how light affects foraging behaviour. We measured the reactive distances of juvenile cod (age 1) over light intensities from 0.01 to 64 µmol m−2 s−1 in a controlled laboratory environment, and used these results to estimate the visual range and the parameters for a predictive visual model. The reactive distance at 0.01 µmol m−2 s−1 indicated high sensitivity to low light conditions. The reactive distance was less at intermediate light levels (1.5–6.5 µmol m−2 s−1) and increased thereafter. Only a model with a different set of parameters above and below 5 µmol m−2 s−1 fitted the data, but the validation of the model against another dataset indicated that the generality of the model was poor. We interpret these results as a change in foraging behaviour of juvenile cod at light intensities occurring at twilight in natural habitats, and the results illustrate how behaviour can complicate the relationship between light and reactive distance in a marine teleost.

An insight into the reproductive biology of the bearded goby Sufflogobius bibarbatus.

Preliminary results obtained from histological analyses of the male reproductive organs, supplemented with field and behavioural data, indicate that Sufflogobius bibarbatus, a small, slow growing gobiid exhibiting low fecundity, which plays an important role in the food web off Namibia, where large areas of the shelf are hypoxic, spawns demersally. Large males defend benthic nests, possibly at the edge of the hypoxic shelf. Male reproductive strategy appears to be flexible, and tentative evidence to suggest that polygyny and sneaking may also occur is presented.

Cross-shelf observations of diet and diel feeding behaviour of the bearded goby Sufflogobius bibarbatus off Namibia

The diet of the bearded goby Sufflogobius bibarbatus was studied at two 48 h stations off the Namibian coast. The inner station (120 m) was characterised by a deep layer of low-oxygen bottom water (<0.5 ml DO l−1 or <10% oxygen saturation) scarcely inhabited by metazoan animal life. Gobies at this station were ∼75 mm total length (TL) and displayed a strong vertical size gradient. The diet of all fish was dominated by sedimented diatoms, and digestion appeared to occur primarily in the oxygen-rich water column at night. By contrast, the environment at the offshore station was characterised by a thin layer of oxygen-poor bottom water, and a richer benthic and zooplankton food environment. Pelagic-caught gobies were significantly shorter (43.3 mm TL) than demersal-caught individuals (99.9 mm TL) throughout 24 h, and the difference in habitat was reflected by differences in diet: pelagic-caught fish ate mostly zooplankton whereas demersal-caught fish ate mostly benthic infauna. In contrast to the situation inshore, digestion appeared to take place throughout 24 h. The results presented here indicate a strong relationship between diet, feeding behaviour and environment, and strengthen conclusions about the dietary opportunism of this species.

Seasonal variation in male alternative reproductive tactics

Genetic parentage analyses reveal considerable diversity in alternative reproductive behaviours (e.g. sneaking) in many taxa. However, little is known about whether these behaviours vary seasonally and between populations. Here, we investigate seasonal variation in male reproductive behaviours in a population of two‐spotted gobies (Gobiusculus flavescens) in Norway. Male two‐spotted gobies guard nests, attract females and care for fertilized eggs. We collected clutches and nest‐guarding males early and late in the breeding season in artificial nests and used microsatellite markers to reconstruct parentage from a subset of offspring from each nest. We hypothesized that mating, reproductive success and sneaking should be more prevalent early in the breeding season when competition for mates among males is predicted to be higher. However, parentage analyses revealed similar values of mating, reproductive success and high frequencies of successful sneaking early (30% of nests) and late (27% of nests) in the season. We also found that multiple females with eggs in the same nest were fertilized by one or more sneaker males, indicating that some males in this population engage in a satellite strategy. We contrast our results to previous work that demonstrates low levels of cuckoldry in a population in Sweden. Our results demonstrate marked stability in both the genetic mating system and male alternative reproductive tactics over the breeding season. However, sneaking rates may vary geographically within a species, likely due to local selection influencing ecological factors encountered at different locations.