Biology subjects

Sibeaux, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Sibeaux, A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

A sensory approach to turbidity: How sources and levels shape aquatic light environments and fish visual ecology

Turbidity is a ubiquitous source of sensory pollution that is likely to impact the appearance of the visual stimuli that animals rely on for survival and reproduction. Understanding how different turbidity sources impact the appearance of the ambient light environment is the foundational first step towards predicting whether and how animals will cope with the global increases in the severity and frequency of high turbidity events caused by anthropogenic disturbance. Here, we measured how four common turbidity sources (algae, bentonite, calcium carbonate, and kaolin), and variable turbidity levels, changed the appearance of the ambient light environment. We measured total number of photons (luminance), hue, chroma, and image contrast, and we evaluated the effect of each turbidity source and level on settling rate, pH, and KH. Both turbidity source and turbidity level impacted the appearance of the ambient light environment. With increasing turbidity level, calcium carbonate and kaolin increased luminance while algae decreased luminance, bentonite caused the greatest change in hue, and algae caused the greatest change in chroma. This demonstrates that the impacts of different turbidity sources on the ambient light environment are not uniform, giving a potential explanation for the discrepancies between studies on the effects of turbidity on fish behaviour. Consideration of the effect of specific turbidity sources on ambient light is crucial for the design of experiments that seek to investigate how changes in turbidity impact the perception of important visual information, which underpins the survival and reproductive success of aquatic organisms around the world. Summary StatementDifferent turbidity sources and levels uniquely affect aquatic light environments and fish visual perception, emphasizing the need for these factors when interpreting fish behaviour and the ecological consequences of turbidity.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2024

Evidence for homing behaviour consistent with path integration in Dascyllus trimaculatus

Path integration is a strategy that allows animals to monitor their movement relative to a starting point using directional and distance cues. It has been observed in a wide range of terrestrial species, but evidence of this behaviour in fish is still lacking. In contrast to most animals shown to navigate via path integration, fish are not surface bound but exist within a three-dimensional medium. This may present additional challenges when monitoring their position relative to a specific point. We developed a novel experimental paradigm to test whether the coral reef-dwelling domino damselfish Dascyllus trimaculatus could use path integration to navigate back to a shelter location. This consisted of a circular pool with a shelter and landmarks near the edge and a trap containing food in the centre. Our results show that these fish follow homing trajectories back to the previous location of the removed shelter without using landmarks after a foraging trip into the central trap. Error in homing trajectory increased with outward path length, consistent with the use of path integration. These results add D. trimaculatus to the growing list of path-integrating species, opening new avenues for investigating the evolution and neural underpinnings of this navigational strategy.

animal behavior and cognition↗

bioRxiv2022

Distance estimation in the Goldfish (Carassius auratus)

Neurophysiological advances have given us exciting insights into the systems responsible for spatial mapping in mammals. However, we are still lacking information on the evolution of these systems and whether the underlying mechanisms identified are universal across phyla, or specific to the species studied. Here we address these questions by exploring whether a species that is evolutionarily distant from mammals can perform a task central to mammalian spatial mapping - distance estimation. We developed a behavioural paradigm allowing us to test whether goldfish (Carassius auratus) can estimate distance and explored the behavioural mechanisms that underpin this ability. Fish were trained to swim a set distance within a narrow tank covered with striped pattern. After changing the background pattern, we found that goldfish use the spatial frequency of their visual environment to estimate distance; doubling the spatial frequency of optic flow pattern resulted in a large overestimation of the swimming distance. These results provide robust evidence that goldfish can accurately estimate distance, and show that they use optic flow to do so. These results provide a compelling basis to utilise goldfish as a model system to interrogate the evolution of the mechanisms that underpin spatial cognition, from brain to behaviour.

animal behavior and cognition↗