Fast–slow life history is correlated with individual differences in movements and prey selection in an aquatic predator in the wild

Abstract

Fast and slow life histories are proposed to covary with consistent individual differences in behaviour, but little is known whether it holds in the wild, where individuals experience natural fluctuations of the environment. We investigated whether individual differences in behaviour, such as movement traits and prey selection, are linked to variation in life-history traits in Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) in the wild. Using high-resolution acoustic telemetry, we collected the positional data of fish in a whole natural lake and estimated individual movement traits by fitting a two-state correlated random walk model. Prey selection was inferred from stable isotope analysis using scale samples. Life-history traits were estimated by fitting a biphasic growth model to an individual growth trajectory back-calculated from scale samples. Life-history traits were correlated with behavioural traits such as movements and prey selection. Individuals with higher reproductive effort were found to switch more frequently between active and inactive modes and show greater reliance on prey from pelagic pathways (indicated by lower δ13C). Further, individuals with faster juvenile growth were found to stay active for a longer time during the adult stage. Our results demonstrate the link between individual behavioural differences and fast–slow life-history traits under ecologically relevant conditions.