Avoidance behaviour toxicity tests should account for animal gregariousness: a case study on the terrestrial isopod Porcellioscaber.

ABSTRACT: Avoidance behaviour enables woodlice to escape suboptimal environmental conditions and to mitigate harmful effects of pollutants. However, several studies have shown that at least in some woodlice species the tendency to aggregate can lead to suboptimal responses as the between-conspecific attraction can outweigh the aversive stimuli. The present study evaluated the influence of gregariousness on the behaviour of Porcellioscaber in a heterogeneously polluted environment. The hypothesis was that the tendency for aggregation outweighs the tendency for exploratory activity, therefore animals in groups will be less active. Consequently, this will affect their avoidance of polluted environmental patches. To test this hypothesis, isolated individuals or pairs of individuals were monitored

SUBMITTER: Zidar P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9848979 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature