There’s no smell like home: how sensory ontogeny plays a role in the early life history of estuarine-dependent fishes

Frontiers in Marine Science

Stewart Fielder¹  Steve Swearer²  Jeffrey Leis³  J. Jack O'Connor⁴ 

[1] NSW DPI;University of Melbourne;University of Tasmania;University of Technology Sydney;

关键词: Chemotaxis;    Estuarine ecology;    Seagrass ecology;    Olfactory response;    Larval behaviour;    Sensory ontogeny;   

DOI  :  10.3389/conf.fmars.2015.03.00035

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The spatial distribution and connectivity of marine organisms and their populations are largely determined by biophysical factors affecting dispersal during the larval phase. It is becoming increasingly clear that larval behaviour and active swimming may influence dispersal patterns, but which sensory cues are involved and critically when during the pre-settlement stage do these abilities develop? To investigate this we studied the ontogeny of olfactory responses to habitat cues in reared larvae of two temperate estuarine-dependant fish species.Since the critical period of movement from coastal waters to estuary areas was of interest we compared olfactory cues from the coastal zone with those from the upper estuary to test preference behaviour. We found that these larval fishes have a dynamic sensory ontogeny during early growth stages, with clear preferences for habitat chemical cues developing among individuals over time at consistent growth stages. The ontogeny of behavioural responses differed between species indicative of contrasting recruitment strategies, and subsequent trials indicate that the presence of chemicals cues from organic matter such as seagrass may interact with responses to salinity levels to drive the dynamics in behavioural shifts observed.This research into pre-settlement behaviour of early-stage temperate fishes supports the hypothesis that sensory ecology plays a role in larval transport from ocean to estuary.

【 授权许可】

Unknown