Cogprints

Social and spatial structure in brook chars (Salvelinus fontinalis) under competition for food and shelter/shade

Caron, Jean and Beaugrand, Jacques P. (1988) Social and spatial structure in brook chars (Salvelinus fontinalis) under competition for food and shelter/shade. [Journal (Paginated)]

Full text available as:

[img] PDF
709Kb

Abstract

Salmonids, outside their reproductive period, are seen to have two types of territory called "territorial mosaic" and "partial territory". The first aspect of this research aimed at identifying the type of territory established by mature brook chars in artificial streams. After this, the biological value of spacing out was studied with regard to two resources: food, and shelter/shade which gives protection. Three 5 X 1 X 1 m artificial streams were built on the edge of a natural brook which provided a continuous water supply. One hundred and fifty mature brook chars (Salvelinus fontinalis) taken from that brook were distributed into 30 colonies with 5 members apiece. Three experimental conditions were created, and 10 colonies were submitted to each of these. In the first experimental condition, the quality of shelter/shade differed in 3 sectors of the artificial streams, whereas the quantity of food remained the same for all 3. In the second experimental condition, the quality of shelter/shade was identical, while the quantity of food differed in the 3 sectors. In the last condition, conflict was created: the fish had to choose between an area which offered excellent shelter/shade but no food, one which provided ample nourishment but no shelter/shade, and one in which all those resources were present at intermediate levels. Observation of the 30 colonies revealed "partial territory" in all cases. These corresponded to more or less complete aggressive-dominance hierarchies. Almost every alpha established territory, and the number of territorial individuals progressively decreased throughout inferior ranks. Alphas had exclusive use of their territory. Lower-ranking individuals successfully defended their territory against their subordinates, but were unable to drive away higher-ranking conspecifics. Overall results also indicated that the highest-ranking brook chars in the aggressive-dominance hierarchies more frequently established their territories in sectors of the streams with good shelter/shade than in sectors with good alimentary conditions.

Item Type:Journal (Paginated)
Keywords:spacing out, social space, territory, agonism, dominance, competition for food, shelter/shade, brook char/trout, Salvelinus fontinalis
Subjects:Biology > Animal Behavior
Biology > Behavioral Biology
Biology > Ethology
ID Code:1964
Deposited By: Beaugrand, Jacques
Deposited On:07 Dec 2001
Last Modified:11 Mar 2011 08:54

References in Article

Select the SEEK icon to attempt to find the referenced article. If it does not appear to be in cogprints you will be forwarded to the paracite service. Poorly formated references will probably not work.

Beaugrand, J.P., 1984. Observation directe du comportement. In: M. Robert (Editor), Fondement et étapes de la recherche scientifique en psychologie. Maloine, Montréal, pp. 165-218.

Beaugrand, J.P., Caron, J., Comeau, L., 1984. Social organization of small heterosexual groups of green swordtails (Xiphophorus helleri, Pisces, Poeciliidae) under condition of captivity. Behaviour, 91: 24-60.

Beaugrand, J.P., Zayan, R.C., 1985. An experimental model of aggressive dominance in Xiphophorus helleri (Pisces, Poeciliidae). Behavioural Processes, 10: 1-52.

Caron, J., 1986. L'organisation sociale et l'utilisation de l'espace chez l'Omble de Fontaine (Salvelinus fontinalis): les effets de la compétition pour la nourriture, l'abri et le couvert en ruisseau artificiel et en dehors de la période de reproduction. Doctoral thesis. Université du Québec à Montréal.

Chapman, D.W., 1962. Aggressive behavior in juvenile coho salmon as a cause of emigration. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 19, 6: 1047-1080.

Cohen, J., 1960. A coefficient of agreement of nominal scales. Educational and Psychological measurement, 20: 37-46.

Dill, L.M., 1978. An energy based model of optimal feeding-theory size. Theoretical Population Biology, 14: 396-429.

Dill, L.M., Ydenberg, R.C., Fraser, A.G.H., 1981. Food aboundance and territory size in juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 59: 1801-1809.

Elliot, J.M., 1975. Number of meals in a day, maximum weight of food consumed in a day and maximum rate of feeding for brown trout (Salmo trutta). Freshwater Biology, 5: 287-303.

Fabricius, E., 1953. Aquarium observations on the spawning behavior of the char. Report of the Institute of Freshwater Research, Drottningholm, 34: 14-48.

Fausch, K.D., White, R.J., 1981. Competition between brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) and Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) for positions in a Michigan stream. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 38: 1220-1227.

Gibson, R.J., 1966. Some factors influencing the distributions of brook trout and young Atlantic salmon. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 23: 1977-1980.

Gibson, R.J., 1978. The behavior of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) with regard of temperature and water velocity. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 107: 703-712.

Greenberg, N., 1947. Some relations between territory, social hierarchy and leadership in the green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). Physiological Zoology, 20: 269-299.

Hartman, G.F., 1963. Observation on behavior of juvenile brown trout in a stream tank during winter and spring. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 20: 769-787.

Hartman, G.F., 1965. Significance of early emergence, environmental rearing capacity, and behavioral ecology of juvenile coho salmon in stream channels. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 22: 173-189.

Héland, M., 1971. Observations sur les premières phases du comportement agonistique et territorial de la truite commune (Salmo trutta L.) en ruisseau artificiel. Annales d'Hydrobiologie, 2: 33-46.

Hoar, W.S., 1951. The behavior of chum, pink and coho salmon in relation to their seeward migration. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 8: 241-243.

Jenkins, M., 1969. Social structure, position choice, and micro distribution of two trout species (Salmo trutta and Salmo gairdneri) resident in mountain streams. Animal Behaviour monograph, 2: 7-123.

Kalleberg, H., 1958. Observations in a stream tank of territoriality and competition in juvenile salmon and trout (Salmo salar L. and Salmo trutta L.). Report of the Institute of Freshwater Research, Drottningholm, 39: 55-98.

Keenleyside, M.A.H., 1955. Some aspects of schooling behavior of fish. Behaviour, 8: 183-248.

Keenleyside, M.A.H., 1962. Skin diving observations of Atlantic salmon and brook trout in the Miramichi river, New-Brunswick. Journal of the Fisheries Reasearch Board of Canada, 19: 625-634.

Keenleyside, M.A.H., Yamamoto, F.T., 1962. Territorial behavior of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Behaviour, 19: 138-169.

Latta, W.C., 1969. Some factors affecting the survival of young-of-the year brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis in streams. In: T.G. Northcote (Editor), Symposium of Salmon and Trout in Streams. Institute of fisheries, University of British Columbia, pp. 229-240.

Le Cren, E.D., 1972. The population dynamics of young trout (Salmo trutta) in relation to density and territorial behavior. Conseil international pour l'exploration de la mer. Report # 164: 241-246.

Li, H.W., Brocksen, R.W., 1977. Approaches to the analysis of energetic cost of intraspecific competition for space by rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). Journal of Fish Biology, 11: 329-341.

McCrimmon, H.R., 1954. Stream studies on planted Atlantic salmon. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 11: 362-403.

McNicol, R.E., 1979. Territorial defense among juvenile brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis) in a laboratory streams tank. M.Sc. thesis, University of Guelph.

Metcalfe, N.B., 1986. Intraspecific variation in competitive ability and food intake in salmonids: consequences for energy budgets and growth rates. Journal of Fish Biology, 28: 525-531.

Newman, M.A., 1956. Social behavior and interspecific competition in two trout species. Physiological Zoology, 29: 64-81.

Onodera, K., 1962. Carrying capacity in a trout stream. Bulletin of the Freshwater Research Laboratory, Tokyo, 12: 1-41.

Saunders, J.M., Smith, Y.W., 1962. Physical alteration of stream habitat to improve brook trout production. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, 91: 185-188.

Siegel, S., 1956. Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. McGraw-Hill, New York.

Slaney, P.A., Northcote, T.G., 1974. Effects of prey aboundance on density and territorial behavior of young rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) in laboratory stream channels. Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, 31: 1201-1209.

Sokal, R.R., Rohlf, F.J., 1969. Biometry, the principle and practice of statistics in biological research. W.H. Freeman, San Francisco.

Symons, P.E.K., 1971. Behavioral adjustment of population density to available food by juvenile Atlantic salmon. Journal of Animal Ecology, 40: 569-587.

Symons, P.E.K., 1974. Territorial behavior of juvenile Atlantic salmon reduces predatio by brook trout. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 52: 677-679.

Wilzbach, M.A., 1985. Relative Roles of Food Abundance and Cover in determining the habitat distribution of stream-dwelling cutthroat Trout (Salmo clarki). Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 42: 1668-1672.

Wood, C.C., Hand, C.M., 1985. Food-searching behaviour of the common merganser (Mergus merganser) I: Functional responses to prey and predator density. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 63: 1260-1270.

Metadata

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Cogprints is powered by EPrints 3 which is developed by the School of Electronics and Computer Science at the University of Southampton. More information and software credits.