Larval fish in troubled waters — is the behavioural response of larval fish to hydrodynamic impacts active or passive?

Abstract

In a mesocosm experiment, we tested whether larval fish show an active behavioural response to hydrodynamic impacts. Exposing 1- to 3-week-old allis shad ( Alosa alosa ) larvae to a pulsed wave regime, we found that already 1-week-old larvae immediately adapt their microhabitat use and activity patterns at the onset of the wave pulses. The fish larvae instantaneously increased their activity level and moved downwards, concentrating in the calmer lower third of the water column. Within 4 min after the end of the wave pulse, the fish returned to their former distribution. Two- and 3-week-old fish larvae foraged close to the bottom substratum during calm periods but avoided this zone during the wave pulses. Thus, larval fish show an active response to hydrodynamic impacts. With the ability to adjust microhabitat use and activity level, already fish larvae are able to trade costs and benefits associated with spatio-temporal hydrodynamic heterogeneity. In particular, fish larvae should be able to minimize some of the harmful effects of navigation-induced waves where calmer evasion habitats are available.