Timescale effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol on behavioral consistency in male threespine stickleback

Abstract

While the effects of 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) on male-typical behaviors are well studied, much less is known about the timing of these effects or the context in which these effects occur as most studies assay behavior at a single time point or in a single context. Additionally, exposure may affect behavior at levels beyond overall responsiveness, such as by altering behavioral consistency over time. Male threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) experienced three different contexts (single female, single male, paired female-male) over the course of 8 days, with an experimental group of males receiving EE2 after the first day. Exposure to EE2 disrupted responsiveness, behavioral consistency, and behavioral variation in all three social contexts. The timescale over which alterations in behavior occurred differed based on whether the conspecific was presented singly or paired with an opposite sex conspecific, stressing the importance of examining the effects of contaminants in multiple contexts.