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Benefits of swarming: mysids in larger swarms save energy

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 12:52 authored by Ritz, DA, Foster, EG, Kerrie SwadlingKerrie Swadling
Mysids have previously been shown to consume oxygen at much lower rates when in a swarm (cohesive group in which individuals are evenly spaced but not polarized) than when in uncohesive small groups. Thus the swarm represents a strategy for conserving energy. In this study different swarm sizes of mysids were forced to perform escape responses by exposing them to jets of ammonium hydroxide, while measuring their oxygen uptake. Swarms of 200 individuals showed no significant difference in oxygen consumption with or without the ammonium treatment. In contrast, swarms of 100 showed a significant increase of around 45% oxygen uptake when exposed to ammonium. In conjunction with earlier demonstrations of increased feeding success and lower oxygen uptake when aggregated, this work clearly confirms the energetic benefits of being in a larger social group rather than a smaller one or remaining solitary.

History

Publication title

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

Volume

81

Pagination

543-544

ISSN

0025-3154

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Place of publication

UK

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the environmental sciences

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