Consistent individual differences in fathering in threespined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus.

Area of Science:

• Animal behavior
• Ethology
• Behavioral ecology

Background:

• Consistent individual differences in behavior are well-documented across species.
• Parental care is crucial for offspring survival and fitness, particularly in species where one parent provides all care.
• Paternal care in threespined sticklebacks is essential for reproductive success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if individual male threespined sticklebacks exhibit consistent differences in parental behavior.
• To investigate the influence of predation risk on individual parenting styles.
• To assess the stability of individual parenting behaviors across reproductive cycles.

Main Methods:

• Observed 11 male threespined sticklebacks over one clutch, recording nest visits, fanning time, and activity levels daily.
• Manipulated predation risk exposure for half the males during their first clutch and the other half during their second clutch.
• Analyzed temporal changes and individual consistency in parental behaviors, controlling for body size and egg mass.

Main Results:

• Significant temporal variations in parental behaviors were observed within clutches, such as increased fanning before hatching.
• Individual male sticklebacks maintained distinctive parenting styles throughout a clutch, independent of body size or egg mass.
• Predation risk temporarily altered fanning and activity levels but did not eliminate individual differences in parenting.
• Individual parenting differences persisted into a second reproductive cycle.

Conclusions:

• Male threespined sticklebacks exhibit consistent, individual-specific parenting styles.
• These individual differences in parental behavior are robust to temporal changes within a clutch and across reproductive events.
• Predation risk can modulate parental behavior but does not override inherent individual behavioral consistency.