Substrate-size choice in European eel (Anguilla anguilla) elvers is not altered by piscivore chemical cues

The European eel Anguilla anguilla Linnaeus 1758 is critically endangered with recruitment estimated at 5–10% of historical levels. Enhancing survival of recruits is pivotal for conservation, and restoration should consider habitat choice of elvers ascending river systems. We experimentally show tha...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Fish Biology
Main Authors: Nilsson, P. Anders, Pettersson, Ivi J., Tamario, Carl, Degerman, Erik, Elghagen, Jonas, Watz, Johan, Calles, Olle
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley-Blackwell 2020
Subjects:
Ecology
Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use
chemical cues
European eel
habitat choice
predator–prey
substrate size
Anguilla anguilla
Online Access:https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/aac17514-dbd5-4c6c-9719-f7550eabbbec
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14343
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Summary:The European eel Anguilla anguilla Linnaeus 1758 is critically endangered with recruitment estimated at 5–10% of historical levels. Enhancing survival of recruits is pivotal for conservation, and restoration should consider habitat choice of elvers ascending river systems. We experimentally show that newly ascended elvers choose small pebble habitat over finer and larger substrates, regardless of the presence or absence of piscivore chemical cues, indicating no predator-induced change in substrate choice. Enriching habitats with this substrate fraction should enhance eel recruitment as well as biodiversity at large.

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