Behavioral responses to a novel predator and competitor of invasive mosquitofish and their non-invasive relatives (Gambusia sp.)

Rehage, Jennifer S.; Barnett, Beverly K.; Sih, Andrew

doi:10.1007/s00265-004-0850-1

Cited by 62 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…However, when familiar resources are available, exploration might have a reduced benefit and be lost through genetic drift [17]; further, in these areas, exploration might increase the likelihood of exposure to toxins and predators, waste time that could be devoted to other activities [18], and increase the likelihood of being out-competed by individuals procuring known resources. Indeed, exploration tends to be stronger in invasive species and invading populations [7,19,20] compared with native species and populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the release of GCs in response to stressors is also apt to be stronger at range edges. Although data indicate that introduced populations are more exploratory than native ones [7,19,20] and GCs may play a role in population viability after an introduction [22], it remains untested whether increased exploration and altered stress hormone regulation facilitate range expansions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Exploratory behaviour and stressor hyper-responsiveness facilitate range expansion of an introduced songbird

2012

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Global anthropogenic changes are occurring at an unprecedented rate; one change, human-facilitated introduction of species outside their native range, has had significant ecological and economic impacts. Surprisingly, what traits facilitate range expansions post-introduction is relatively unknown. This information could help predict future expansions of introduced species as well as native species shifting their ranges as climate conditions change. Here, we asked whether specific behavioural and physiological traits were important in the ongoing expansion of house sparrows (Passer domesticus) across Kenya. We predicted that birds at the site of initial introduction (Mombasa, introduced approx. 1950) would behave and regulate corticosterone, a stress hormone, differently than birds at the range edge (Kakamega, approx. 885 km from Mombasa; colonized within the last 5 years). Specifically, we predicted greater exploratory behaviour and stronger corticosterone response to stressors in birds at the range edge, which may facilitate the identification, resolution and memory of stressors. Indeed, we found that distance from Mombasa (a proxy for population age) was a strong predictor of both exploratory behaviour and corticosterone release in response to restraint (but only while birds were breeding). These results suggest that certain behavioural and neuroendocrine traits may influence the ability of species to colonize novel habitats.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploratory behaviour and stressor hyper-responsiveness facilitate range expansion of an introduced songbird

2012

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“…Behavioral attributes of predators (e.g., ambush vs. pursuit) and prey (e.g., sedentary vs. mobile; solitary vs. gregarious) affect how habitat complexity mediates predation (Juanes et al, 2002;Almany, 2004). Since invasive species typically encounter novel competitors and predators, their invasiveness may be thus affected by how they cope with these interactions (Rehage et al, 2005;Alcaraz et al, 2008). However, most of the trophic interactions between native and invasive fishes in the Neotropics have not been investigated (García-Berthou, 2007), and data on the potential of a native predator to control invasive fish in Brazil is restricted to a single experiment using a diurnal piscivore (Santos et al, 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experimental assessment of the effects of a Neotropical nocturnal piscivore on juvenile native and invasive fishes

et al. 2012

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We experimentally examined the predator-prey relationships between juvenile spotted sorubim Pseudoplastystoma corruscans and young-of-the-year invasive and native fish species of the Paraná River basin, Brazil. Three invasive (peacock bass Cichla piquiti, Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus, and channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus) and two native (yellowtail tetra Astyanax altiparanae and streaked prochilod Prochilodus lineatus) fish species were offered as prey to P. corruscans in 300 L aquaria with three habitat complexity treatments (0%, 50% and 100% structure-covered). Prey survival was variable through time and among species (C. piquiti < O. niloticus < A. altiparanae < P. lineatus < I. punctatus), depending largely on species-specific prey behavior but also on prey size and morphological defenses. Habitat complexity did not directly affect P. corruscans piscivory but some prey species changed their microhabitat use and shoaling behavior among habitat treatments in predator's presence. Pseudoplatystoma corruscans preyed preferentially on smaller individuals of those invasive species with weak morphological defensive features that persisted in a non-shoaling behavior. Overall, our results contrast with those in a companion experiment using a diurnal predator, suggesting that nocturnal piscivores preferentially prey on different (rather diurnal) fish species and are less affected by habitat complexity. Our findings suggest that recovering the native populations of P. corruscans might help controling some fish species introduced to the Paraná River basin, particularly C. piquiti and O. niloticus, whose parental care is expected to be weak or null at night.A relação predador-presa entre juvenis de pintado Pseudoplatystoma corruscans (piscívoro nativo) e jovens do ano de espécies nativas e invasoras de peixes da bacia do rio Paraná, Brasil, foi testada experimentalmente. Três espécies de peixe invasoras (o tucunaré Cichla piquiti, a tilápia do Nilo Oreochromis niloticus e o bagre do canal Ictalurus punctatus) e duas nativas (o lambari do rabo amarelo Astyanax altiparanae e o curimbatá Prochilodus lineatus) foram oferecidas como presa para P. corruscans em microcosmos, com três tratamentos de complexidade de habitat (0%, 50% e 100% de cobertura por estruturas submersas). A sobrevivência de presas variou ao longo do tempo e entre espécies (C. piquiti < O. niloticus < A. altiparanae < P. lineatus < I. punctatus), sendo governada, em grande parte, por diferenças espécies-específicas no comportamento das presas, mas também pelo tamanho e defesas morfológicas das mesmas. A complexidade de habitat não afetou diretamente a piscivoria de P. corruscans, mas, na presença do predador, algumas espécies-presa alteraram seu comportamento quanto ao uso de micro-habitat e grau de agregação entre os níveis de complexidade de habitat. Pseudoplatystoma corruscans predou preferencialmente sobre os indivíduos menores das espécies invasoras que apresentaram estruturas morfológicas defensivas pouco desenvolvidas e que não formavam cardu...

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“…Invasive species often displace native fauna by resource or interference competition, although behavioural traits have received little attention despite the mechanistic insight that they offer (Holway and Suarez 1999;Rehage et al 2005). Two closely related mosquitofish species, the eastern mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki and the western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis, are only native to the United States and Mexico but have been introduced into more than 50 countries (García-Berthou et al 2005) in order to control mosquito populations and hence malaria (Krumholz 1948).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salinity mediates the competitive interactions between invasive mosquitofish and an endangered fish

2007

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The interplay of abiotic factors and competition has a long history in ecology, although there are very few studies on the interaction of salinity and competition in fish. Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) are among the most invasive fish worldwide, with well documented ecological impacts on several taxa such as amphibians and small native fish. It has been previously hypothesized, based on field observations, that salinity limits the invasive success of mosquitofish and provides a competitive refuge for Mediterranean cyprinodonts. We experimentally tested this hypothesis by examining the agonistic behaviour and food competition between mosquitofish and an endangered native cyprinodont (Aphanius fasciatus) at three salinities (0, 15, 25 per thousand). Intraspecific aggressive behaviour for both species was not significantly affected by salinity. As salinity increased, mosquitofish decreased their aggressive behaviour towards cyprinodonts and captured less prey. In contrast, the cyprinodonts did not change their behaviour with different salinity treatments, with the possible exception of increased defensive acts in higher salinities, but captured more prey with increasing salinity because of the reduced efficiency of mosquitofish. Our study confirms previous field observations that salinity limits the invasive success of mosquitofish and provides one of the few experimental demonstrations that it may mediate behavioural and competitive interactions between fish species. Condition-specific competition of mosquitofish might be expected with other species and ecosystems worldwide and illustrates the importance of integrating biotic and abiotic factors in the study of interspecific interactions.

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Behavioral responses to a novel predator and competitor of invasive mosquitofish and their non-invasive relatives (Gambusia sp.)

Cited by 62 publications

References 68 publications

Exploratory behaviour and stressor hyper-responsiveness facilitate range expansion of an introduced songbird

Exploratory behaviour and stressor hyper-responsiveness facilitate range expansion of an introduced songbird

Experimental assessment of the effects of a Neotropical nocturnal piscivore on juvenile native and invasive fishes

Salinity mediates the competitive interactions between invasive mosquitofish and an endangered fish

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