Abstract
Behavioural abnormality in fishes has been proposed as a significant consequence of the increasing levels of carbon dioxide occurring in the oceans. Negative effects of elevated CO2 have been reported for behaviours such as predator–prey interactions, foraging, hearing and behavioural lateralization. Importantly, the effects vary greatly both within and between species, and some recent studies have shown minimal effects of CO2 on behaviour. Whether the effect of CO2 also varies between males and females is, however, virtually unexplored. According to resource allocation theory, females are expected to be more sensitive to elevated CO2, meaning that non-sex-specific studies may overlook ecologically important differences between the sexes. In this study, we investigated the possible differences between males and females in their response to elevated CO2 by performing behavioural lateralization tests in adult temperate two-spotted gobies, Gobiusculus flavescens. We found that the strength of the side bias (absolute lateralization) was unaffected by the CO2 treatment, and there was no difference between males and females. The control fish were slightly right-biased in their behavioural asymmetry (mean relative lateralization of 14). Exposure to high CO2 affected this pattern, such that treated fish were slightly left-biased (mean relative lateralization of −10), regardless of their sex. The same results were obtained yet again when the study was repeated during a second year. We discuss our results in light of the great variation in lateralization that has been reported to depend on variables such as species, ecological settings and environmental factors.
Highlights
The present dramatic anthropogenic release of carbon dioxide is altering the composition of the atmosphere and 2018 The Authors
The possible effects of sex on responses to elevated CO2 have been investigated in fewer than 4% of the ocean acidification literature [7], despite the fact that many other environmental stressors have sex-specific effects [8,9,10], and similar patterns can be expected for elevated CO2
We examined the possible effects of elevated CO2 on behavioural lateralization using the two-spotted goby, Gobiusculus flavescens
Summary
The present dramatic anthropogenic release of carbon dioxide is altering the composition of the atmosphere and 2018 The Authors. The effects on marine organisms of this environmental stressor have been extensively studied, with more than 300 publications per year since 2005 [4]. Even though the effects of this important environmental stressor have been studied in a range of traits and behaviours, sex-specific alterations remain largely unexplored [7]. The possible effects of sex on responses to elevated CO2 have been investigated in fewer than 4% of the ocean acidification literature [7], despite the fact that many other environmental stressors have sex-specific effects [8,9,10], and similar patterns can be expected for elevated CO2
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