Sound stimulus effects on dusky damselfish behavior and cognition

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Environmental Science
• Animal Behavior

Background:

• Anthropogenic noise is a pervasive environmental stressor impacting marine ecosystems.
• While noise pollution's effects on marine wildlife are increasingly studied, its impact on fish cognition remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of anthropogenic sound exposure on anxiety-like behavior and memory retention in dusky damselfish (Stegastes fuscus).

Main Methods:

• Fish were trained using a conditioned place aversion task.
• Exposure to two daily sessions of music at 60-70 dBA or 90-100 dBA for five days, with a control group at 42-46 dBA.
• Post-exposure assessments included the novel tank paradigm and memory recall of the aversive task.

Main Results:

• Sound-exposed fish exhibited increased stillness and reduced distance from the tank bottom in the novel tank test, indicative of heightened anxiety.
• Fish exposed to noise spent more time in the aversive side of the conditioning tank, suggesting impaired memory retention.
• High-intensity music significantly altered fish behavior and memory.

Conclusions:

• Anthropogenic noise, particularly high-intensity music, can induce anxiety-like behaviors in dusky damselfish.
• Noise exposure negatively impacts memory retention in this reef fish species.
• These findings underscore the potential deleterious effects of underwater noise pollution on marine species and reef environments.