Invitation to Ph.D. Thesis Defence

Ph.D. thesis title: Individual Circadian Behaviour Variation in Wild Fish: Global Assessment, Environmental-Related effects, and Socio-Ecological Consequences.

Ph.D. Student: Martina Martorell, Department of Marine Ecology, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB)

Supervisor: Dr Josep Alós, Department of Marine Ecology, IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB)

The defence will take place on monday February, 5^th at 11:00 at Sala de Grados B, Edificio Jovellanos, Universidad de les Illes Balears (UIB)

Abstract:

This thesis aims to comprehensively investigate the existence of chronotypes across different fish species and examines how environmental factors modulate them using cutting-edge fish tracking technologies. The thesis first investigates the presence of chronotypes in free-living fish species, clearly identifying these individual temporal patterns in several marine species. Fish behavior is known to be influenced by environmental factors. However, individuals within the same population can exhibit different responses to environmental gradients, referred to as behavioral reaction norms. Subsequently, the thesis describes a large-scale tracking experiment conducted to explore how those environmental gradients affect the expression of chronotypes in the pearly razorfish, Xyrichtys novacula. Behavioral traits typically covary, forming behavioral syndromes, yet few studies have explored chronotype-personality syndromes. This thesis proposes a novel methodological approach that combines laboratory and field experiments to quantitatively assess both classical and circadian-related behavioral traits in the pearly razorfish. Finally, it is well-established today that fishing exerts selective pressures on fish behavior. The final chapter of this thesis proposes a modeling approach to investigate whether exploitation by fishing may lead to directional selection on fish chronotypes. This PhD thesis introduces the field of marine eco-chronobiology, bridging gaps among three traditionally distinct disciplines: marine ecology, fisheries science, and chronobiology.

Link to zoom:

postgrau.uib.es/doctor.....tente