The Importance of Chemical Cues in Aquatic Animals

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The Importance of Chemical Cues in Aquatic Animals

• Presented by Leah McIntire
• Advisor Brian Wisenden

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Outline

• Introduction
• Chemical cues
• Predator/prey interactions
• Migration
• Shoaling tendencies
• Agonistic encounters
• Conclusion

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Introduction
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Minnow Skin
Alarm Substance Cell
Mucus Cell
Epidermis
Scale
Photo taken by R. Jan F. Smith
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Alewife
American Shad
Shortnose Sturgeon
Atlantic Salmon
Blueback Herring
Gizzard Shad
American Eel
Sea Lamprey
Striped bass
http//www.fws.gov/R5CRc/Salmon/workbook/fish_fact
s_answers.gif
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Shoal of Red Sea Fusillier
http//www.flickr.com/photos/hazy_jenius/237089273
2/
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Example of agonistic behavior in lobsters
http//caspar.bgsu.edu/Huberlab/private/Images/Me
ralspread2.jpg
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• Chemical cues
• Predator/prey interactions
• Migration
• Shoaling tendencies
• Agonistic encounters

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Chemosensory assessment of predation risk by
slimy sculpins (Cottus cognatus) responses to
alarm, disturbance, and predator cues

• Pamela J. Bryer, Reehan S. Mirza, and Douglas P.
  Chivers

Journal of Chemical Ecology (2001) Vol. 27, No. 3
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Methods and MaterialsSlimy Sculpin (Cottus
cognatus)

• http//www.unb.ca/fredericton/science/biology/Fish
  _key/Cottidae/sculpin_air_Gray.jpg

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http//www.uaex.edu/cengle/CaneyBayou/images/backp
a1.jpg
http//farm4.static.flickr.com/3403/3318280707_92c
519c19c.jpg
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Brook trout

• http//www.cttrout.org/Images/Burton_Brook-CT_Broo
  kie.jpg

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Gravitational flow-through test apparatus
Stimulus added
Testing chamber
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Experiment 1Responses of Sculpins to Alarm,
Disturbance, and Predator Cues

• Chemical cues from
• Predatory brook trout
• Injured sculpins
• Disturbed sculpins (chased)
• Injured swordtails
• Undisturbed sculpins
• Model fish predator
• all tests x 20

http//www.heathland.net/Tropical/Livebearers/Swor
dtail.jpg
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Results
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Results
Area Use Number of Short Moves
Shelter Use
Distilled Sculpin Pellet
Brine Brine shrimp water
shrimp
injured sculpin
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Discussion

• Sculpins respond to
• predator chemicals
• damage-released alarm cues
• cues of disturbed conspecifics

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• Chemical cues
• Predator/prey interactions
• Migration
• Shoaling tendencies
• Agonistic encounters

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Laboratory assessment of the role of a larval
pheromone and natural stream odor in spawning
stream localization by migratory sea lamprey
(Petromyzon marinus)

• Lance A. Vrieze and Peter W. Sorensen

CJFAS (2001) Vol. 58 Pg. 2374-2385
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Methods and MaterialsSea Lamprey

• http//www.glaucus.org.uk/sea-lamprey-Petromyzon-m
  ari.jpg

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Experiment 1a determining whether and how
migratory lamprey are attracted to the odor of
natural stream waters

• 2 treatments
• Nasopores blocked
• Nasopores not blocked

Cheboygan River Water
Lake Huron Water
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Results
Nasopores blocked
Nasopores clear
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Experiment 2a Are waters from streams with
larval populations naturally more attractive than
those lacking larvae?
Nonlarvae Containing River Water
Larvae Containing River Water
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Results
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Experiment 2d Is the pheromone complimented by
other odorous cues in stream water?
Nagel Creek Water / Lake Huron
Larvae Induced Water
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Results
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Discussion

• Sea lamprey use chemical cues to detect rivers
• bile acids from larvae
• natural river odors

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• Chemical cues
• Predator/prey interactions
• Migration
• Shoaling tendencies
• Agonistic encounters

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Habitat-specific chemical cue influence
association preferences and shoal cohesion in fish

• M.M. Webster,
• J. Goldsmith,
• A. J. W. Ward, and P. J. B. Hart

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology (2007)
62273-280
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Methods and Materials

• Threespine stickleback

http//pond.dnr.cornell.edu/nyfish/Gasterosteidae/
threespine_stickleback.jpg
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Part 1 How long do association preferences based
upon habitat chemical cues take to break down and
build up?
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Results
0.6
0.3
0
Proportion of Time Shoaling
-0.3
-0.6
0 30 120
240
Time (minutes) exposure to different habitat
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Part 2 Do habitat specific chemical cues
influence shoal cohesion?
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Results
1.5
1
Nearest neighbour in body lengths
0.5
0
Mixed All Freshwater All Blackwater
All Saline Water
Habitat origin of individuals within shoal
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Discussion

• Experiment 1
• 4 hours for habitat cues to wear off
• allows fish to switch
• Experiment 2
• same habitats shoals more cohesive
• increases forging efficiency
• communicate better

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• Chemical cues
• Predator/prey interactions
• Migration
• Shoaling tendencies
• Agonistic encounters

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Individual and status recognition in the
crayfish, Orconectes rusticus the effects of
urine release on fight dynamics

• Rebecca A. Zulandt Schneider, Robert Huber,
• and Paul A. Moore

Behavior (2001) 138 137-153
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Methods and MaterialsCrayfish
http//www.ncwildlife.org/Wildlife_Species_Con/ncc
rayfishes/o_rusticus/mainphoto.jpg
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Experiment 2 Urine Release

• Two groups
• Urine present
• Urine blocked

• Duration of fight
• Maximum Intensity
• (0) no fighting
• (1) threat postures
• (2) claw lock
• (3) strike and rip

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Discussion

• First fights, longer duration, equal intensity
• Winner and loser effects
• Status recognition
• Fights without urine, longer, more intense
• urine provides critical cue to end an encounter

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Conclusion
http//www.alaska-in-pictures.com/data/media/5/jum
ping-sockeye-salmon_6397.jpg
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References

• Bryer, P. J., Mirza, R. S., and Chivers, D. P.
  (2001). Chemosensory assessment of predation risk
  by slimy sculpins (Cottus cognatus) responses to
  alarm, disturbance, and predator cues. Journal of
  Chemical Ecology, 27(3).
• Vrieze, L. A. and Sorensen, P. W. (2001).
  Laboratory assessment of the role of larval
  pheromone and natural stream odor in spawning
  stream localization by migratory sea lamprey
  (Petromyzon marinus). Can J Fish Aquat Sci, 58,
  2374-2385 
• Webster, M. M., Goldsmith, J., Ward, A. J. W.,
  and Hart, P. J. B. (2007). Habitat-specific
  chemical cues influence association preferences
  and shoal cohesion in fish. Behav Ecol Sociobio,
  62, 273-280.
• Zulant Schneider, R. A., Huber, R., and Moore, P.
  A. (2001). Individual and status recognition in
  the crayfish, Oronectes rusticus the effects of
  urine release on fight dynamics. Behavior, 138,
  137-153

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More References

• Petranka, J. W., Kats, L. B., and Sih, A. (1987).
  Predator-prey interactions among fish and larval
  amphibians use of chemical cues to detect
  predatory fish. Anim Behav, 35420-425.
• Huber, M. E. and Delago, A. (1998). Serotonin
  alters decisions to withdraw in fighting
  crayfish, Astacus astucus the motivational
  concept revisited. J Comp Phys A, 182 573-583.