Risk allocation and habitat utilization of subadult Fundulus heteroclitus in oyster reef habitats

Sam McNeely

Abstract

Young-of-the-year Fundulus heteroclitus experience intense predation, which they avoid by hiding in complex habitats, like oyster reefs. The risk allocation hypothesis describes how temporal variation in predation risk results in the dynamic energy distribution between foraging and predator avoidance. I hypothesized that F. heteroclitus would spend less time away from the artificial oyster reef in the presence of a predator, which was Lagodon rhomboides. Mesocosms were set up with a sandy benthos, an oyster reef on one side, and an acrylic barrier that made the predator enclosure on the other. F. heteroclitus movements were observed via GoPro timelapse imaging, which were then analyzed in Excel and R. When abundance at different regions of the tank were compared between treatments using a one-way ANOVA, a significant difference was detected [F(5,54) = 8.491, p = 5.56e-06]. Unlike in the control, the predator-present treatment experienced significant differences between the region next to the predator enclosure and the sandy intermediate regions (p = 0.011, 95% C.I. = [27.175, 317.225]) as well as between the region next to the predator enclosure and the oyster reef habitat (p = 3.52e-05, 95% C.I. = [113.575, 403.625]). This suggests a behavioral shift in response to the predator predicting F. heteroclitus acts in accordance with the risk allocation hypothesis. Future studies with food as a driving factor for foraging behavior are needed to further investigate the true application of the risk allocation hypothesis to F. heteroclitus.

Faculty Advisor: Troy Alphin

Acknowledgment: George Easterly, Jocelyn Fifer, Jack Brittain, Kristen Rhinehart

Watch the presentation (9:10)

Pose your questions to the researchers

Access Sam McNeely's Discussion Forum

Review the supplemental materials

Supplemental Info_Samuel David McNeely.pdf

Sam McNeely

contact banner icons.png Contact Info

Email: sdm4263@uncw.edu

smcneely4335@gmail.com

LinkedIn Profile: Sam McNeely