Behavior,Growth and Survival of Stage V Lobsters (Homarus Americanus) in Relation to Shelter Availability and Lobster Density |
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Authors: | Nathalie Paille Bernard Sainte-Marie Jean-Claude BrÊthes |
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Affiliation: | 1. Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER) , Université du Québec à Rimouski , 310 avenue des Ursulines, Rimouski, Qc, G5L 3A1, Canada;2. Division des invertébrés et de la biologie expérimentale, Institut Maurice-Lamontagne , Pêches et Océans Canada , 850 route de la Mer, C.P. 1000, Mont-Joli, Qc, G5H 3Z4, Canada |
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Abstract: | The effects of 2 levels of shelter availability (8 or 32 shelters) and of 3 levels of intraspecific density (5, 15, or 30 individuals per 0.5 m 2) on the behavior, survival and growth of stage V lobsters over a period of h 25 days were examined through controlled laboratory experiments. Dominance interactions were apparent in all treatments and only certain lobsters gained access to shelter in the medium- and high-density treatments. Lobsters spent more than 95% of their time in shelter when possible, and expressed significantly greater fidelity to one shelter in the 8-shelter treatment compared to the 32-shelter treatment. Shelter availability and lobster density had no effect on the incidence of molting or on the mean size of lobsters at experiment's end. The proportion of injured lobsters was independent of shelter availability, but was positively related to density. Lobsters were most likely to die after having molted and percent mortality was significantly greater at low density and in the 32-shelter treatment than in other treatments, probably due to a stronger and more consistent dominance hierarchy. Overall, the findings suggest that settlers may interact, that the frequency and intensity of interactions may be modified by relative shelter availability and lobster density, and that such interactions may contribute to determine a cohort's fate. |
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Keywords: | American Lobster Homarus Americanus Settlement Density-dependence Shelter Behavior Survival |
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