title: Habitat complexity affects how young of the year Atlantic cod Gadus morhua perceive predation threat from older conspecifics.
abstract: The response of age 0+ year juvenile Atlantic cod Gadus morhua to the presence of age 1+ and age 3+ year conspecifics was measured with and without cover available. Juveniles reacted by aggregating more closely and maintaining distance from older conspecifics in an experimental setting without cover but only to age 3+ year conspecifics when cover was available. The results indicate that prior residence of older juveniles can affect age 0+ year juveniles during benthic settlement and highlights the conservation value of structurally complex nursery habitats.
authors.affiliation: Research Centre of the Westfjords, University of Iceland, Bolungarvík, Iceland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Theodorou
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Snorrason
authors.forename: G Á
authors.initials: GÁ
authors.lastname: Olafsdóttir
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D002190:Cannibalism; D017753:Ecosystem; D048389:Gadus morhua / Q000502:physiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012919:Social Behavior