PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
Urban stream syndrome alters stream habitat complexity. We define habitat complexity as the degree of variation in physical habitat structure, with increasing variation equating to higher complexity. Habitat complexity affects species composition and shapes animal ecology, physiology, behaviour and cognition. We used a delayed detour test to measure whether cognitive processes (motor self-regulation) and behaviour (risk-taking) of female Western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, varied with habitat structural complexity (low, moderate and high) that was quantified visually for nine populations. We predicted that motor self-regulation and risk-taking behaviour would increase with increasing habitat complexity, yet we found support for the opposite. Lower complexity habitats offer less refuge potentially leading to higher predation pressure and selecting for greater risk-taking by fish with higher motor self-regulation. Our findings provide insight into how habitat complexity can shape cognitive processes and behaviour and offers a broader understanding of why some species may tolerate conditions of urbanized environments.
摘要：
城市溪流综合症改变了溪流栖息地的复杂性。我们将栖息地复杂性定义为物理栖息地结构的变化程度，随着变化的增加，相当于更高的复杂性。栖息地的复杂性影响物种组成和形状的动物生态，生理学,行为和认知。我们使用延迟绕道测试来测量雌性西方蚊子的认知过程（运动自我调节）和行为（冒险）Gambusiaaffinis,随栖息地结构复杂性而变化(低，中等和高)，对9个人群进行了视觉量化。我们预测，随着栖息地复杂性的增加，运动自我调节和冒险行为会增加，然而，我们找到了相反的支持。复杂性较低的栖息地提供的避难所较少，可能会导致更高的捕食压力，并选择具有更高的运动自我调节能力的鱼类承担更大的风险。我们的发现提供了有关栖息地复杂性如何塑造认知过程和行为的见解，并提供了对为什么某些物种可以容忍城市化环境条件的更广泛的理解。
