Predation is the main cause of mortality during early life stages. The ability to avoid and evade potential threats is, therefore, favoured to evolve during the early stages of life. It is also during these early stages that the process of familiarization occurs. It has long been recognized that associating with familiar individuals confers antipredator benefits. Yet gaps in our knowledge remain about how predator evasion is affected by social experience during early stages. In this study, we test the hypothesis that familiarization acquired during early life stages improves escape responses. Using the guppy Poecilia reticulata, we examine the effect of different recent social conditions in the three main components of predator evasion. Using high-speed motion analysis, we compared the number of individuals in each test group that responded to a visual stimulus, their reactive distance and magnitude of their response (maximum speed, maximum acceleration and distance) in groups composed either of familiar or non-familiar individuals. Contrary to the prediction, groups composed of familiar individuals were less responsive than groups of unfamiliar individuals. Reactive distance and magnitude of response were more dependent on individual size rather than on familiarity. Larger individuals reached higher maximum speeds and total distances in their escape response. Our result indicates that familiarity is likely to affect behaviour earlier in a predator-prey interaction, which then affects the behavioural component of the response. Taken together, our study contributes to previous ones by distinguishing which components of an escape response are modulated by familiarity.
Predation is the main driver of mortality during early life stages. The ability to avoid and evade potential threats is, therefore, favoured to evolve during the early stages of life. It is also during these early stages that the process of familiarization occurs. It has long been recognized that associating with familiar individuals confers anti predator benefits. Less, however, is known about how predator evasion is affected by social experience during early stages. In this study we test the hypothesis that familiarization acquired during early life stages improves anti predator escape responses. Using the Trinidadian guppy we examine the effect of different early social conditions in the three main components of predator evasion. Using high-speed motion analysis we compared the responsiveness, reactive distance and magnitude of the response (maximum speed, maximum acceleration and distance) of the response to a visual stimulus in groups composed either of familiar or non-familiar individuals. Surprisingly, groups composed by familiar individuals were less responsive than groups of unfamiliar individuals. It is plausible that familiarity equips individuals with better skills to accurately assess the threat avoiding false alarms. Reactive distance and magnitude of response were more dependent on individual size than on familiarity. Larger individuals reached higher maximum speeds and total distances in their escape response. Our approach allowed us to tease apart which aspects of an escape response are more likely to be influenced by early social conditions. 19 Predation is the main driver of mortality during early life stages. The ability to avoid and evade 20 potential threats is, therefore, favoured to evolve during the early stages of life. It is also during 21 these early stages that the process of familiarization occurs. It has long been recognized that 22 associating with familiar individuals confers antipredator benefits. Less, however, is known 23 about how predator evasion is affected by social experience during early stages. In this 24 study we test the hypothesis that familiarization acquired during early life stages improves 25 antipredator escape responses. Using the Trinidadian guppy we examine the effect of different 26 early social conditions in the three main components of predator evasion. Using high-speed 27 motion analysis we compared the responsiveness, reactive distance and magnitude of the 28 response (maximum speed, maximum acceleration and distance) of the response to a visual 29 stimulus in groups composed either of familiar or non-familiar individuals. Surprisingly, groups 30 composed by familiar individuals were less responsive than groups of unfamiliar individuals. It 31 is plausible that familiarity equips individuals with better skills to accurately assess the threat 32 avoiding false alarms. Reactive distance and magnitude of response were more dependent on 33 individual size than on familiarity. Larger individuals reached higher maximum speeds and total 34 distances in their es...
Predation is the main driver of mortality during early life stages. The ability to avoid and evade potential threats is, therefore, favoured to evolve during the early stages of life. It is also during these early stages that the process of familiarization occurs. It has long been recognized that associating with familiar individuals confers anti predator benefits. Less, however, is known about how predator evasion is affected by social experience during early stages. In this study we test the hypothesis that familiarization acquired during early life stages improves anti predator escape responses. Using the Trinidadian guppy we examine the effect of different early social conditions in the three main components of predator evasion. Using high-speed motion analysis we compared the responsiveness, reactive distance and magnitude of the response (maximum speed, maximum acceleration and distance) of the response to a visual stimulus in groups composed either of familiar or non-familiar individuals. Surprisingly, groups composed by familiar individuals were less responsive than groups of unfamiliar individuals. It is plausible that familiarity equips individuals with better skills to accurately assess the threat avoiding false alarms. Reactive distance and magnitude of response were more dependent on individual size than on familiarity. Larger individuals reached higher maximum speeds and total distances in their escape response. Our approach allowed us to tease apart which aspects of an escape response are more likely to be influenced by early social conditions. 19 Predation is the main driver of mortality during early life stages. The ability to avoid and evade 20 potential threats is, therefore, favoured to evolve during the early stages of life. It is also during 21 these early stages that the process of familiarization occurs. It has long been recognized that 22 associating with familiar individuals confers antipredator benefits. Less, however, is known 23 about how predator evasion is affected by social experience during early stages. In this 24 study we test the hypothesis that familiarization acquired during early life stages improves 25 antipredator escape responses. Using the Trinidadian guppy we examine the effect of different 26 early social conditions in the three main components of predator evasion. Using high-speed 27 motion analysis we compared the responsiveness, reactive distance and magnitude of the 28 response (maximum speed, maximum acceleration and distance) of the response to a visual 29 stimulus in groups composed either of familiar or non-familiar individuals. Surprisingly, groups 30 composed by familiar individuals were less responsive than groups of unfamiliar individuals. It 31 is plausible that familiarity equips individuals with better skills to accurately assess the threat 32 avoiding false alarms. Reactive distance and magnitude of response were more dependent on 33 individual size than on familiarity. Larger individuals reached higher maximum speeds and total 34 distances in their es...
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