Burrowing behaviour of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) : effects of life stage
The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a fascinating species, exhibiting a complex life cycle. The species is, however, listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List due to an amalgam of factors, including habitat loss. This study investigated the burrowing behaviour and substrate preference...
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ftunivgent:oai:archive.ugent.be:8679990 2023-06-11T04:03:44+02:00 Burrowing behaviour of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) : effects of life stage Steendam, Charlotte Verhelst, Pieterjan Van Wassenbergh, Sam De Meyer, Jens 2020 application/pdf https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8679990 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8679990 https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14481 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8679990/file/8679991 eng eng https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8679990 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8679990 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14481 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8679990/file/8679991 No license (in copyright) info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY ISSN: 0022-1112 ISSN: 1095-8649 Biology and Life Sciences Aquatic Science Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics behaviour burrow European eel kinematics sediment FRESH-WATER SUBSURFACE LOCOMOTION HABITAT USE SAND ATLANTIC FISH PERFORMANCE MORPHOLOGY journalArticle info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2020 ftunivgent https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14481 2023-05-10T22:51:26Z The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a fascinating species, exhibiting a complex life cycle. The species is, however, listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List due to an amalgam of factors, including habitat loss. This study investigated the burrowing behaviour and substrate preference of glass, elver and yellow stages of A. anguilla. Preference was determined by introducing eels in aquaria with different substrates and evaluating the chosen substrate for burrowing. In addition, burrowing was recorded using a camera in all substrate types and analysed for kinematics. The experiments showed that all of these life stages sought refuge in the sediments with particle sizes ranging from sand to coarse gravel. Starting from a resting position, they shook their head horizontally in combination with rapid body undulations until half of their body was within the substrate. High‐speed X‐ray videography revealed that once partly in the sediment, eels used only horizontal head sweeps to penetrate further, without the use of their tail. Of the substrates tested, burrowing performance was highest in fine gravel (diameter 1–2 mm; lower burrowing duration, less body movements and/or lower frequency of movements), and all eels readily selected this substrate for burrowing. However, glass eels and elvers were able to use coarse gravel (diameter >8 mm) because their smaller size allowed manoeuvring through the spaces between the grains. Further, burrowing performance increased with body size: glass eels required more body undulations compared to yellow eels. Interestingly, the urge to hide within the sediment was highest for glass eels and elvers. Documentation of substrate preference and burrowing behaviour of A. anguilla provides new information about their potential habitat use. Considering that habitat alterations and deteriorations are partly responsible for the decline of the eel, this information can contribute to the development of more effective conservation measures. Article in Journal/Newspaper Anguilla anguilla European eel Ghent University Academic Bibliography Journal of Fish Biology 97 5 1332 1342 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Ghent University Academic Bibliography |
op_collection_id |
ftunivgent |
language |
English |
topic |
Biology and Life Sciences Aquatic Science Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics behaviour burrow European eel kinematics sediment FRESH-WATER SUBSURFACE LOCOMOTION HABITAT USE SAND ATLANTIC FISH PERFORMANCE MORPHOLOGY |
spellingShingle |
Biology and Life Sciences Aquatic Science Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics behaviour burrow European eel kinematics sediment FRESH-WATER SUBSURFACE LOCOMOTION HABITAT USE SAND ATLANTIC FISH PERFORMANCE MORPHOLOGY Steendam, Charlotte Verhelst, Pieterjan Van Wassenbergh, Sam De Meyer, Jens Burrowing behaviour of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) : effects of life stage |
topic_facet |
Biology and Life Sciences Aquatic Science Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics behaviour burrow European eel kinematics sediment FRESH-WATER SUBSURFACE LOCOMOTION HABITAT USE SAND ATLANTIC FISH PERFORMANCE MORPHOLOGY |
description |
The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a fascinating species, exhibiting a complex life cycle. The species is, however, listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List due to an amalgam of factors, including habitat loss. This study investigated the burrowing behaviour and substrate preference of glass, elver and yellow stages of A. anguilla. Preference was determined by introducing eels in aquaria with different substrates and evaluating the chosen substrate for burrowing. In addition, burrowing was recorded using a camera in all substrate types and analysed for kinematics. The experiments showed that all of these life stages sought refuge in the sediments with particle sizes ranging from sand to coarse gravel. Starting from a resting position, they shook their head horizontally in combination with rapid body undulations until half of their body was within the substrate. High‐speed X‐ray videography revealed that once partly in the sediment, eels used only horizontal head sweeps to penetrate further, without the use of their tail. Of the substrates tested, burrowing performance was highest in fine gravel (diameter 1–2 mm; lower burrowing duration, less body movements and/or lower frequency of movements), and all eels readily selected this substrate for burrowing. However, glass eels and elvers were able to use coarse gravel (diameter >8 mm) because their smaller size allowed manoeuvring through the spaces between the grains. Further, burrowing performance increased with body size: glass eels required more body undulations compared to yellow eels. Interestingly, the urge to hide within the sediment was highest for glass eels and elvers. Documentation of substrate preference and burrowing behaviour of A. anguilla provides new information about their potential habitat use. Considering that habitat alterations and deteriorations are partly responsible for the decline of the eel, this information can contribute to the development of more effective conservation measures. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Steendam, Charlotte Verhelst, Pieterjan Van Wassenbergh, Sam De Meyer, Jens |
author_facet |
Steendam, Charlotte Verhelst, Pieterjan Van Wassenbergh, Sam De Meyer, Jens |
author_sort |
Steendam, Charlotte |
title |
Burrowing behaviour of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) : effects of life stage |
title_short |
Burrowing behaviour of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) : effects of life stage |
title_full |
Burrowing behaviour of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) : effects of life stage |
title_fullStr |
Burrowing behaviour of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) : effects of life stage |
title_full_unstemmed |
Burrowing behaviour of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) : effects of life stage |
title_sort |
burrowing behaviour of the european eel (anguilla anguilla) : effects of life stage |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8679990 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8679990 https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14481 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8679990/file/8679991 |
genre |
Anguilla anguilla European eel |
genre_facet |
Anguilla anguilla European eel |
op_source |
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY ISSN: 0022-1112 ISSN: 1095-8649 |
op_relation |
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8679990 http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-8679990 http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14481 https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/8679990/file/8679991 |
op_rights |
No license (in copyright) info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14481 |
container_title |
Journal of Fish Biology |
container_volume |
97 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1332 |
op_container_end_page |
1342 |
_version_ |
1768382717025583104 |