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Elevated carbon dioxide affects behavioural lateralization in a coral reef fish.
Paolo Domenici1, Bridie Allan, Mark I McCormick
1CNR-IAMC, Istituto per l'Ambiente Marino Costiero, Torregrande (Oristano), Italy. paolo.domenici@cnr.it
Biology Letters
|August 19, 2011
Summary
Elevated carbon dioxide (CO(2)) impairs brain function in larval reef fish by disrupting behavioral lateralization. This loss of brain asymmetry may increase fish vulnerability to predators in future oceans.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Neuroscience
- Climate Change Science
Background:
- Elevated carbon dioxide (CO(2)) impacts fish behavior, increasing predation risk.
- The underlying mechanisms of CO(2)-induced behavioral changes in fish remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if elevated CO(2) affects brain function in larval reef fish.
- To test the hypothesis that CO(2) alters behavioral lateralization, a marker of brain asymmetry.
Main Methods:
- Larval reef fish (Neopomacentrus azysron) were exposed to current-day and elevated CO(2) levels (880 µatm).
- Behavioral lateralization was assessed using a detour test measuring left/right turning preferences.
Main Results:
- Individual fish in control groups exhibited consistent turning biases (lateralization).
- Exposure to elevated CO(2) significantly disrupted individual lateralization, resulting in random turning behavior.
- No population-level turning preference was observed.
Conclusions:
- Elevated CO(2) directly affects brain function in larval reef fish.
- The disruption of behavioral lateralization may compromise anti-predator behaviors.
- Loss of lateralization could heighten the vulnerability of larval fish to predation in high-CO(2) oceans.
