Nest guarding behaviour of a temperate wrasse differs between sites off Mediterranean CO2 seeps

Limited behavioural effects of ocean acidification on a Mediterranean anemone goby (Gobius incognitus) chronically exposed to elevated CO2 levels

“…Few attempts have been made to control fish behavioural responses along volcanic CO2 gradients experiencing fluctuations of CO2 in shallow waters, (Cattano et al, 2016). In this regard, in situ experiments carried out in the same study area of ours, have suggested impaired escape responses in a goby fish (Nagelkerken et al, 2016) as well as effects on reproductive behaviors in wrasses (Milazzo et al, 2016;Spatafora et al, 2021). By contrast, ex situ OA experiments on the predator recognition ability of both gabazine-treated and -untreated Symphodus ocellatus post-settlers living off CO2 seeps was unaffected (Cattano et al, 2017).…”

“…In this frame, one way that organisms may respond to High CO2/Low pH conditions is through the rapid modification of their behaviour (Briffa et al, 2012;Nagelkerken and Munday, 2016), potentially allowing them to avoid risks, relocate in preferred habitats and increase survival and fitness (Goldenberg et al, 2018;Nagelkerken & Munday, 2015). To date, most of the studies looking for potential OA effects on species behaviour involving predator-prey dynamics, reproduction, homing, and habitat choice have been conducted on selected model species, and under controlled laboratory conditions (e.g., Cattano et al, 2018 for a review), whilst behavioural experiments carried out in the wild, encompassing the large variability of the natural environments, are largely overlooked (but see Nagelkerken et al, 2015;Milazzo et al, 2016;Spatafora et al, 2021).…”