Efeito do enriquecimento ambiental no comportamento agressivo de Apistogramma gibbiceps em diferentes condições climáticas

Abstract

The impacts caused by the global climate warming in Amazonian environments are worrying, as they can directly affect biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems. In this way, environmental enrichment can be an alternative to mitigate the effects of these climate changes on fish behavior. Thus, specimens of Apistogramma gibbiceps were grouped for six hours in six experimental treatments (n = 12), resulting from the combination of three climatic scenarios (drastic, intermediate and control) and two environments (enriched and not enriched). The latency to fighting and the frequency of the aggressive interaction exhibited by the group, dominant and subordinate were evaluated. The increase in temperature and CO2 in the environment stimulates motivation and aggressive interaction in all social ranks. However, physical enrichment increases the latency to fighting regardless of the environmental condition. Thus, the use of stimuli and/or resources in the environment can be suggested to mitigate the effects of climate changes and, consequently, contribute for better conditions of welfare for Amazonian species.