Social Learning and Public Information Use in Sticklebacks

Social learning is broadly defined as learning that is influenced by observation of, or interaction with, another animal or its products. Public-information (PI) use is a specific form of social learning that allows an animal to gauge the relative quality of two or more resources. We are interested in the factors that lead some species or populations to evolve the capacity to use PI, while others that are seemingly ecologically similar do not. To this end we are undertaking a project to explore PI use, in a foraging context, by stickleback fishes (Gasterosteidae). The ultimate aims of this research are to (1) understand the phylogeny of PI use in sticklebacks, (2) to identify within-species variation in PI use, and produce crosses in order to gain insight into its basic genetic architecture and (3) to include ecological variables into statistical analyses to determine which variables explain its evolution.

To date we have assayed public information use in multiple European and North American populations of three- and ninespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus and Pungitius pungitius), several populations of brook sticklebacks (Culaea inconstans) and a single population of fourspine sticklebacks (Apeltes quadracus). We have found strong evidence of PI use in all populations of Pungitius, evidence of its use in some Culaea populations and no evidence of PI use in any of the Gasterosteus or Apeltes populations tested.  

A parallel project investigating the mechanisms underlying information transmission in fish shoals suggests that PI is transmitted from feeding fish to the observer via simple passive behavioural cues, including activity level and feeding strike rate, both of which positively correlate with the rate at which the prey patch yields prey. 

In order to build on this work we have acquired funding to establish collaborations with other research groups who have access to stickleback populations. In particular, we are interested in assaying further populations of Apeltes, east Asian Gasterosteus aculeatus and Pungitius populations, and Spinachia spinachia from the Baltic region. We welcome interest from anyone wishing to collaborate with us on this project.