Using fine-scale spatial analysis to study behavioural strategies prevalence in wild groups of drift-feeding fish

Key aspects of the social organisation of groups of drift-feeding fish can be inferred by the way space is shared between group members, because they inhabit a very dynamic environment where spatial positions have a direct impact on fitness-related traits. Therefore, the spatial analysis of such system can reveal insights into the behavioural ecology of fish, but so far, technical constraint limited this approach only to large salmonids. We used a digital imaging technique to monitor movements and behaviour of free-ranging groups of juvenile galaxiids (Galaxias anomalous) facing two contrasting physical and social contexts. We described the spatial structure of these groups and studied individual space-use in relation to their social behaviour. We found that prevalence of territorial behaviour differ greatly between sites, which suggests that groups were displaying different social organisation. This study showed that detailed spatial analysis of space-use and behaviour of drift-feeding fish could provide new insights into the social organisation of group-living animals.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author