Risk-sensitive habitat use by brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) in areas associated with minnow alarm pheromone

Brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) share habitat and predators with cyprinid species, and they exploit the alarm pheromone of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to avoid areas of high predation risk. In this field experiment, we measured the retention and duration of area avoidance by brook st...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemical ecology 1994-11, Vol.20 (11), p.2975-2983
Main Authors: Wisenden, B.D. (University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada), Chivers, D.P, Smith, R.J.F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agnatha. Pisces
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Autoecology
Biological and medical sciences
Culaea inconstans
CYPRINOIDEI
DEPREDACION
FEROMONAS
Freshwater
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
GASTEROSTEIFORMES
HABITAT
PHEROMONE
Pimephales promelas
Pisces
PREDATION
Vertebrata
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Summary:Brook stickleback (Culaea inconstans) share habitat and predators with cyprinid species, and they exploit the alarm pheromone of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) to avoid areas of high predation risk. In this field experiment, we measured the retention and duration of area avoidance by brook stickleback from areas marked with alarm pheromone of fathead minnows. Area avoidance was greatest during the first 2 hr after the source of the alarm pheromone was removed (P 0.05), but after 4 hr, area use was not significantly different from premarking levels. This study shows that brook stickleback: (1) use the alarm pheromone of fathead minnows to avoid high risk areas. (2) continue to avoid locations associated with predation risk after the source of the pheromone has gone, and (3) avoid risky areas temporarily, and resume use of risky areas after 2-4 hr. This behavioral response by stickleback to minnow alarm pheromone could serve to minimize risk of predation
ISSN:0098-0331
1573-1561
DOI:10.1007/BF02098403