Does social context affect boldness in juveniles？  

作　　者：Siobhan LOFTUS Jost BORCHERDING 

机构地区：[1]Institute of Zoology of the University of Cologne, Department of General Ecology & Limnology, Ecological FieldStation Grietherbusch, D-50923 Cologne, Germany

出　　处：《Current Zoology》2017年第6期639-645,共7页动物学报（英文版）

摘　　要：Differences in boldness are common between populations or between related species and are discussed as part of individual coping style, personality, or behavioral syndrome. Boldness has been found to be dependent on experience, social, and environmental contexts. The major aim of the present study was to establish an experimental environment that would allow analyzing the risk-taking behavior of 2 competing invasive goby species. Neogobius melanostomus was more active in the absence of a predator Sander lucioperca than N. fluviatilis and clearly spent more time ＂swimming＂ and ＂feeding＂ than N. fluviatilis. In addition, N. melanostomus was always faster than N. fluviatilis both when leaving the shelter and reaching offered food. Based on the different behaviors recorded, species-specific boldness scores were established using a principal component analysis. Although there was no overall difference in boldness scores between the 2 species, both competitive conditions and the effect of the predator played significant roles as factors influencing boldness. Neogobius melanostomus was more affected by the presence/absence of the predator than the social circumstances. Neogobius fluviatilis, on the other hand, was more active and bolder in competitive situations. However, when alone, N. fluviatilis was rather inactive and displayed altogether shy behavior, independent of the presence/ absence of the predator. Thus, the study confirms the prediction that there are differences in behavior and behavioral plasticity, and therein predator-avoidance strategies, between ecologically similar species of goby living in sympatry. We argue that these differences may be related to differential habitat use of both invasive species that presently dominate the fish community in the Lower Rhine.

关 键 词：boldness score Neogobius fluviatilis Neogobius melanostomus predator-avoidance social environment. 

分 类 号：Q1[生物学—普通生物学]