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High turbidity levels alter coral reef fish movement in a foraging task
Cait Newport1, Oliver Padget2, Theresa Burt de Perera2
1Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Zoology Research and Administration Building, Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK. caitlin.newport@zoo.ox.ac.uk.
Scientific Reports
|March 20, 2021
Summary
High turbidity from pollution significantly impairs fish foraging efficiency by reducing search speed and increasing travel distance. This impacts essential behaviors like finding food, mating, and predator avoidance in visually-guided species.
Area of Science:
- Aquatic ecology
- Animal behavior
- Environmental toxicology
Background:
- Sensory systems are crucial for animal behavior, enabling responses to environmental stimuli.
- Human-induced pollution, such as increased turbidity, disrupts sensory system function in aquatic environments.
- Turbidity reduces the reactive distance to visual cues, potentially altering fish movement and foraging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of high turbidity on the foraging efficiency of fish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus).
- To analyze individual fish movements and trajectories under turbid conditions.
- To assess how reduced visual cues affect foraging behavior despite the availability of other sensory systems.
Main Methods:
- A controlled foraging task was conducted in an aquarium setting.
- Fish were tasked with locating multiple food sites.
- High turbidity levels (40-68 NTU; 154 mg/L) were experimentally induced.
- Detailed analysis of individual fish movement trajectories was performed.
Main Results:
- High turbidity significantly decreased foraging task efficacy.
- Fish exhibited longer delays in initiating searches and finding food.
- Increased distances were traveled during foraging in turbid conditions.
- Trajectory analysis revealed less efficient routes, increased ground covered, and slower search speeds.
- These effects persisted even when alternative sensory systems were available.
Conclusions:
- Reduced movement efficiency in high turbidity negatively impacts foraging success in visually-guided fish.
- Impaired foraging efficiency due to pollution can have significant consequences for fish health and population dynamics.
- Conservation efforts must consider the effects of turbidity on aquatic species' fundamental behaviors.
