Risk-sensitive foraging in bitterlings Rhodeus sericus: effects of food requirement and breeding site quality

Young, Robert; Clayton, H; Barnard, C.J

Abstract

Risk-sensitive foraging preferences in bitterlings were examined in relation to changing food deprivation and intake relative to estimated requirement. When running above estimated requirement and presented with a choice of constant and variable feeding stations, a group of seven fish were all risk-averse (avoiding high variance in reward rate). When running below, six out of the seven fish showed increased risk-aversion and one became risk-prone (choosing high variance). Increasing the degree of food deprivation while running below requirement for one of the risk-averse fish, however, resulted in a switch to risk-proneness, a response that was repeated in a second group of six fish running below requirement. Variance in reward rate also appeared to influence the choice of a potential breeding site by a male bitterling. When breeding sites of apparent equal quality were provided at the constant and variable feeding stations, the fish preferred the constant station; the variable station was preferred only when breeding site quality at the constant station was relatively low.

Citation

Young, R., Clayton, H., & Barnard, C. (1990). Risk-sensitive foraging in bitterlings Rhodeus sericus: effects of food requirement and breeding site quality. Animal Behaviour, 40(2), 288-297. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472%2805%2980923-6

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 19, 1989
• Online Publication Date: May 3, 2006
• Publication Date: Aug 1, 1990
• Deposit Date: Jun 2, 2023
• Journal: Animal Behaviour
• Print ISSN: 0003-3472
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 40
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 288-297
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0003-3472%2805%2980923-6