Fish with slow life-history cope better with chronic manganese exposure
than fish with fast life-history
Abstract
Animals with different life-history types vary in their stress-coping
styles, which can affect their fitness and survival in changing
environments. We studied how chronic exposure to manganese sulfate
(MnSO4), a common aquatic pollutant, affects
life-history traits, physiology, and behavior of zebrafish (Danio
rerio) with two life-history types: fast (previously selected for fast
juvenile growth, early maturation, and small adult body size) and slow
life histories (selected for slow juvenile growth, late maturation, and
large adult body size). We found that MnSO4 had negative
effects on growth and condition factor, but the magnitude of these
effects depended on the life-history type. Individuals with fast life
histories were more susceptible to MnSO4 than fish with
slow life histories as they had lower growth rate, condition factor and
feeding probability in high MnSO4 concentrations. Our
results demonstrate that MnSO4 can impair fish
performance, and life-history variation can modulate the stress-coping
ability of individuals.