Article (Scientific journals)
Amphibians forgo aquatic life in response to alien fish introduction
Winandy, Laurane; Darnet, Elodie; Denoël, Mathieu
2015In Animal Behaviour, 109, p. 209-216
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Keywords :
amphibian decline; behavioural avoidance; complex life cycles; habitat selection; species exclusion; habitat choice; terrestrial habitat; aquatic habitat; movement; cost; fish introduction; introduced fish; invasive alien species; anti-predator behaviour; breeding; shelter use; habitat heterogeneity; management; conservation; palmate newt; Lissotriton helveticus; Goldfish; Carassius auratus; courtship; reproduction; eggs; sexual behaviour
Abstract :
[en] Species with complex life cycles are good models to understand trade-offs between life in hostile and favourable habitats. Newts remain in breeding wetlands for a long period and are strongly affected by fish introduction; however, mechanisms of the exclusion observed in the field are still not well known. In particular, whether newts skip breeding and leave water for land in response to fish introduction and how aquatic shelter may influence their choice remain open questions. To investigate these questions, we experimentally studied the use of aquatic and terrestrial habitats during the breeding season of palmate newts, Lissotriton helveticus, in the presence and absence of goldfish, Carassius auratus. We determined the consequences of habitat choice on newt fitness by assessing sexual activity and number of eggs. There was a strong, significant avoidance of the aquatic environment in the presence of fish, particularly when no aquatic shelter was available. This escape from the water had an impact on reproduction: newts decreased their sexual activity and laid fewer eggs. The availability of shelters favoured coexistence but did not prevent a large proportion of the newts from leaving water and skipping reproduction. This study shows how the presence of fish and the absence of aquatic shelters can lead to newts forgoing aquatic life, thus improving our understanding of the mechanisms behind the coexistence and exclusion patterns found in the wild. More broadly, these data contribute to explaining aquatic versus terrestrial life in favourable and unfavourable environments.
Research center :
AFFISH-RC - Applied and Fundamental FISH Research Center - ULiège
Disciplines :
Aquatic sciences & oceanology
Author, co-author :
Winandy, Laurane ;  Université de Liège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Biologie du comportement - Ethologie et psychologie animale
Darnet, Elodie;  Université de Liège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Biologie du comportement - Ethologie et psychologie animale
Denoël, Mathieu  ;  Université de Liège > Département de Biologie, Ecologie et Evolution > Biologie du comportement - Ethologie et psychologie animale
Language :
English
Title :
Amphibians forgo aquatic life in response to alien fish introduction
Publication date :
November 2015
Journal title :
Animal Behaviour
ISSN :
0003-3472
eISSN :
1095-8282
Publisher :
Academic Press, London, United Kingdom
Volume :
109
Pages :
209-216
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
F.R.S.-FNRS - Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique [BE]
ULiège FSR - Université de Liège. Fonds spéciaux pour la recherche [BE]
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