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Behavioural response of juvenile Atlantic salmon to presence of boulders

Behavioural response of juvenile Atlantic salmon to presence of boulders
Behavioural response of juvenile Atlantic salmon to presence of boulders
The placement of structures in streams and rivers has increasingly been used to enhance the density and biomass of economic species of fish. The influence of boulder presence on the behaviour of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) was investigated experimentally in an indoor flume fed by a 16 l s1 flow of natural river water. The flume was divided into 16 arenas (each 1 m2) that were landscaped with river gravel and standardized boulders, to represent relative ‘‘complex’’ or ‘‘simple’’ habitats. Each arena housed three wild-caught fish. In a three-week trial, the effects of landscape on aspects of individual behaviour were recorded. Food intake was highest in the simple landscape and directly related to social status and time spent in the water column. The fish in the complex chambers actively maintained station in the water column significantly more than fish in simple landscapes and therefore partially compensated for reduced foraging rates associated with complexity. Fish in simple chambers spent more time orientated upstream than those in complex landscapes. There was no evidence that habitat complexity influenced levels of aggression, average aggressive distance, ‘‘constrained’’ territory size, or dominance. Activity and space use varied with social status. Overall, this study illustrates that addition of boulders can result in costs to Atlantic salmon parr, which can be expected to offset to some extent benefits brought about by increased stream complexity.
0022-1112
p.267
Kemp, P.S.
9e33fba6-cccf-4eb5-965b-b70e72b11cd7
Armstrong, J.D
77882910-1063-46cf-a812-1df5e7f9caae
Gilvear, D.J.
95eb119e-08b5-4737-b5ee-42e6024fb93b
Kemp, P.S.
9e33fba6-cccf-4eb5-965b-b70e72b11cd7
Armstrong, J.D
77882910-1063-46cf-a812-1df5e7f9caae
Gilvear, D.J.
95eb119e-08b5-4737-b5ee-42e6024fb93b

Kemp, P.S., Armstrong, J.D and Gilvear, D.J. (2005) Behavioural response of juvenile Atlantic salmon to presence of boulders. Journal of Fish Biology, 67 (sB), p.267. (doi:10.1111/j.0022-1112.2005.0955a.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The placement of structures in streams and rivers has increasingly been used to enhance the density and biomass of economic species of fish. The influence of boulder presence on the behaviour of juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) was investigated experimentally in an indoor flume fed by a 16 l s1 flow of natural river water. The flume was divided into 16 arenas (each 1 m2) that were landscaped with river gravel and standardized boulders, to represent relative ‘‘complex’’ or ‘‘simple’’ habitats. Each arena housed three wild-caught fish. In a three-week trial, the effects of landscape on aspects of individual behaviour were recorded. Food intake was highest in the simple landscape and directly related to social status and time spent in the water column. The fish in the complex chambers actively maintained station in the water column significantly more than fish in simple landscapes and therefore partially compensated for reduced foraging rates associated with complexity. Fish in simple chambers spent more time orientated upstream than those in complex landscapes. There was no evidence that habitat complexity influenced levels of aggression, average aggressive distance, ‘‘constrained’’ territory size, or dominance. Activity and space use varied with social status. Overall, this study illustrates that addition of boulders can result in costs to Atlantic salmon parr, which can be expected to offset to some extent benefits brought about by increased stream complexity.

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More information

Published date: 24 November 2005
Organisations: Water & Environmental Engineering Group

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 52713
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/52713
ISSN: 0022-1112
PURE UUID: 03a602ba-0ee9-4ed5-a855-aad05ce72699
ORCID for P.S. Kemp: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-4470-0589

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 28 Jul 2008
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:42

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Contributors

Author: P.S. Kemp ORCID iD
Author: J.D Armstrong
Author: D.J. Gilvear

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