Presentation Details
| Habitat fluctuation impacts male pupfish reproductive behavior Natalie vanBreukelen1, Jennifer Snekser2. 1Loyola University Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA.2Canisius University, Buffalo, NY, USA |
Abstract
Behavioral responses to changing environments allow animals to survive in unpredictable environments. Studying this phenomenon requires natural models where short-term behavioral changes can be observed. We examined male reproductive behavior across two breeding seasons in a population of hybrid Pecos pupfish which breeds in a unique environment where they experience robust daily environmental changes. We first found that males engage in more reproduction early in the day compared to evening when water temperature is higher. We then examined male behavior in varying microhabitats by comparing two different ephemeral pool types to observe behavioral response to predictable diel change (pools connected to the main creek) versus stochastic fluctuation (isolated pools). We confirmed that pools differed ecologically, with significantly more irregularities in isolated pools. Male behavior differed significantly between morning and evening and between the two microhabitats. These findings indicate that this population of hybrid pupfish immediately responds to fluctuating habitats via behavioral adjustments and is an excellent model to understand rapid responses to changing climates.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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