Effects of gravidity on habitat use and antipredator behaviour in three-spined sticklebacks |
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Authors: | A. D. Rodewald, S. A. Foster&dagger ,&dagger |
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Affiliation: | Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, U.S.A. |
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Abstract: | Habitat use was examined in six Alaskan populations of three-spined sticklebacks Gasterosteus aculeatus . In three lakes with predatory fishes, gravid female sticklebacks remained closer to refuge than did non-gravid females, while those in lakes devoid of piscivores did not display this shift in behaviour. Gravid females in a lake with predatory rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss used different evasive manoeuvres than did non-gravid females during in situ encounters with a model rainbow trout. Gravid females were more likely to incorporate a protean element in their flight moffements than were non-gravid females. Offerall, these data suggest that gravid female three-spined sticklebacks modify habitat use and escape behaviour to reduce vulnerability to predators. |
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Keywords: | Key words: antipredator behaviour gravidity habitat use stickleback |
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