Shoaling behaviour in response to turbidity in three-spined sticklebacks

Many fresh and coastal waters are becoming increasingly turbid because of human activities, which may disrupt the visually mediated behaviours of aquatic organisms. Shoaling fish typically depend on vision to maintain collective behaviour, which has a range of benefits including protection from predators, enhanced foraging efficiency and access to mates. Previous studies of the effects of turbidity on shoaling behaviour have focussed on changes to nearest neighbour distance and average group-level behaviours. Here, we investigated whether and how experimental shoals of three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in clear (