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A decrease in the abundance and strategic sophistication of cleaner fish after environmental perturbations.

Zegni Triki1, Sharon Wismer1, Elena Levorato1

  • 1Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.

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Extreme weather events drastically reduced cleaner fish populations on the Great Barrier Reef. This decline impaired their cognitive abilities and altered crucial fish cleaning interactions, impacting reef community dynamics.

Keywords:
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Area of Science:

  • Marine biology
  • Ecology
  • Animal behavior

Background:

  • Coral reef ecosystems face global decline due to climate change, altering reef communities.
  • The impact of these community changes on interspecific interactions remains largely unknown.
  • Extreme weather events on the Great Barrier Reef provide a unique opportunity to study these impacts.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the consequences of reduced cleaner fish populations on mutualistic interactions.
  • To assess the effects of environmental perturbations on the social behavior and cognitive abilities of cleaner fish (Labroides dimidiatus).
  • To understand how changes in population density affect interspecific relationships and individual behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Observational study of cleaner fish (Labroides dimidiatus) populations and client interactions on the Great Barrier Reef following extreme weather events.
  • Analysis of shifts in the supply and demand dynamics of the cleaning interaction.
  • Laboratory experiments to assess the cognitive abilities (reputation management, learning) of cleaner fish.

Main Results:

  • Cleaner fish densities decreased by 80% after cyclones and an El Niño event, disproportionate to client fish populations.
  • Client fish became less selective, while cleaners had more choice, indicating a shift in the interaction dynamics.
  • Cleaner fish exhibited a significant decline in their ability to manage reputation and prioritize food sources, indicating reduced cognitive sophistication.

Conclusions:

  • Reduced population densities in cleaner fish can significantly alter individual behavior and interspecific interactions.
  • The observed decline in cognitive abilities suggests that population size is critical for maintaining complex social behaviors.
  • Recovery of cleaner fish populations may restore previously documented interaction patterns and cognitive sophistication within individuals' lifetimes.