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Experimentally induced helper dispersal in colonially breeding cooperative cichlids

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Abstract

The ‘benefits of philopatry’ hypothesis states that helpers in cooperatively breeding species derive higher benefits from remaining home, instead of dispersing and attempting to breed independently. We tested experimentally whether dispersal options influence dispersal propensity in the cooperatively breeding Lake Tanganyika cichlids Neolamprologus pulcher and N. savoryi. Cooperative groups of these fishes breed in densely packed colonies, surrounded by unoccupied, but apparently suitable breeding habitat. Breeding inside colonies and living in groups seems to benefit individuals, for example by early detection and deterrence of predators. We show that despite a slight preference of both species for habitat with a higher stone cover, 40% of the preferred habitat remained unoccupied. On average, the colonies contained a higher number of (1) predators of adults, juveniles and eggs, (2) shelter competitors, and (3) other species including potential food competitors, compared to the outside colony habitat. Apparently, habitat differences cannot explain why these cichlids breed in colonies. Accordingly, dispersal may not be limited by a lack of suitable breeding shelters, but by the relatively higher risk of establishing an outside- compared to a within-colony breeding territory. To test whether cichlids prefer within- to outside-colony breeding territories, we provided breeding shelters inside the colony and at the colony edge and studied helper dispersal. As expected, significantly more shelters were occupied within the colony compared to the edge. New breeding pairs with several helpers occupied these shelters. We conclude that although breeding habitat is plentiful outside the colonies, helpers delay dispersal to obtain a higher quality breeding position within the group or colony eventually, or they disperse in groups. Our results suggest that (1) group augmentation and Allee effects are generally important for dispersal decisions in cooperatively breeding cichlids, consistent with the ‘benefits of philopatry hypothesis’, and (2) habitat saturation cannot fully explain delayed dispersal in these species.

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Acknowledgments

We thank C. Kapasa, H. Phiri, R. Shapola, L. Makasa, D. Sinyinza and C. Lukwesa from the Department of Fisheries, Zambia Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives for their continuous support of our project. We thank the members of the Lake Tanganyika Diving Expeditions 2002 and 2003 for their assistance. We are grateful to Rolf Eggler, Susanne Maurer and Peter Stettler for logistical support and Ralph Bergmüller and anonymous reviewers for comments on the manuscript. The project was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF grant 3100-064396 to M.T.). D.H. is supported by SNF grant 3100A0-108473. The experiments conducted in this study comply with the current laws of the country, Zambia, in which they were performed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioural Ecology, Zoological Institute, University of Bern, CH-3032, Hinterkappelen, Switzerland

    D. Heg, Z. Heg-Bachar & M. Taborsky

  2. Animal Ecology Group, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, 9750AA, Haren, The Netherlands

    L. Brouwer

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  1. D. Heg
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Correspondence to D. Heg.

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Heg, D., Heg-Bachar, Z., Brouwer, L. et al. Experimentally induced helper dispersal in colonially breeding cooperative cichlids. Environ Biol Fish 83, 191–206 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10641-007-9317-3

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