Aggregative Behavior of Zooplankton: In Situ and Laboratory Studies of Copepod Swarms and Mysid Schools

浮游动物的聚集，如桡足动物群和壳类动物群，代表了浮游生物斑块连续体的一端，从主要受生物行为控制的浮游生物到主要受物理集中机制控制的浮游生物。通过更好地了解影响行为控制的浮游动物聚集的因素，行为对其他形式的斑块的潜在贡献范围将变得更加清晰。通过了解浮游动物群体和鱼群行为的适应价值，揭示斑块性对浮游生物营养动力学的潜在影响。本研究将重点关注桡足类群体的几个未解问题，并开始研究myids的学校行为。在红树林支柱根生境中，浮游动物的聚集行为有两个很好的例子：桡足类动物的群集行为和Mysidium columbine的成群行为。本研究的目的之一是确定D. oculata在黎明时找到返回红树林栖息地的方式所使用的感官信息。在珊瑚礁附近也发现了群虫，那里的环境和光学条件与红树林栖息地大不相同。将对珊瑚礁附近的蝗群进行实地研究，并量化这些环境中影响蝗群形成和维持的因素。耧菜Mysidium columbine是一种全浮游mysid，在红树林附近的阴影地区聚集。人们认为它发育良好的复眼视力有限，但运动感知能力很强。通过确定视阈值和视敏锐度来研究视觉在该物种的鱼群行为中的作用。学校教育作为一种反捕食手段的适应价值和学校教育行为的代谢成本也将被研究。

Zooplankton aggregations such as copepod swarms and mysid schools represent one end of a continuum of plankton patchiness from those controlled mainly by the behavior of the organisms to those controlled mainly by physical concentrating mechanisms. By achieving a better understanding of the factors influencing behaviorally controlled zooplankton aggregations, the range of potential contributions of behavior to other forms of patchiness will become clearer. By understanding the adaptive value of swarming and schooling behavior in zooplankton, the potential effects of patchiness on plankton trophic dynamics will be revealed. This study will focus on several unanswered questions regarding copepod swarms and begin studies of schooling behavior of mysids. In mangrove prop root habitats there are two excellent examples of aggregative behavior in zooplankton: the swarming behavior of the copepod Dioithona oculata and the schooling behavior of the mysid Mysidium columbine. One objective of this study is to determine the sensory information used by D. oculata to find its way back to the mangrove habitat at dawn. D. oculata swarms are also found near coral reefs, where environmental and optical conditions are quite different from mangrove habitats. Swarms near coral reefs will be studied in situ, and the factors affecting swarm formation and maintenance in these environments will be quantified. Mysidium columbine is a holoplanktonic mysid that schools in shaded areas near mangroves. It's well developed compound eyes are thought to have limited visual acuity but highly developed movement perception. The role of vision in the schooling behavior of this species will be investigated by determining the visual threshold and visual acuity of this mysid. The adaptive value of schooling as an anti-predation device and metabolic costs of schooling behavior will also be investigated.