SGER: Behavioral Ecology of Hydrodynamic Pressure Waves

Suny At Binghamton, Binghamton NY

Investigators

Abstract

Lay Abstract- Behavioral Ecology of Hydrodynamic Pressure Waves Aquatic pressure waves occur in the form of surface waves, such as ripples, underwater pressure waves, and underwater sound waves. Pressure waves can be produced abiotically by wind, currents, and moving objects, and biotically by animal and plant movements. Surface waves can often be relatively long-range, such as when ripples produced in a calm lake travel many meters, and as they travel, they induce traveling pressure waves beneath them. Underwater pressure waves are usually short range, i.e., within 2 meters. Sound waves are normally long-range. The great majority of all studies on surface and underwater pressure waves have been done in the laboratory and at close range, within about 40 cm. This project will examine a set of interactions between invertebrate and vertebrate predators which are mediated by pressure waves, at longer range, in the field. The project will be focused on interactions between 1) fresh-water bass and minnows, where bass sense the presence of unseen minnows by the swimming motions of the minnows; 2) feeding trout and their response to ripples induced by swimming beavers (nonpredators) versus otters (predators); and 3) ocean-living mantis shrimp, which defend burrows in part by sensing the approach of intruder shrimp by the pressure waves and/or sound made by the approach of the intruders. In all cases, pressure waves will be recorded and analyzed, then played back, to determine the response of the receivers to various pressure waves. As long-range surface wave interactions have never been studied, these data especially will aid in determining the role the pressure waves play in the invertebrate and vertebrate species in the field.