Eat First, Fight Later: Competitive Advantage of an Invasive Cichlid over a Native Competitor for Food Resources
Competition for resources with invasive species can negatively impact native fauna. Invasive species often exhibit higher aggressiveness and monopolize resources through behavioral interference. However, their feeding behavior also plays a central role in invasion success. We investigated how food r...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/7/340 |
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| author | Leonardo Cirillo Caio A. Miyai Fábio H. C. Sanches Alexandre L. Arvigo Tânia M. Costa |
| author_facet | Leonardo Cirillo Caio A. Miyai Fábio H. C. Sanches Alexandre L. Arvigo Tânia M. Costa |
| author_sort | Leonardo Cirillo |
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| description | Competition for resources with invasive species can negatively impact native fauna. Invasive species often exhibit higher aggressiveness and monopolize resources through behavioral interference. However, their feeding behavior also plays a central role in invasion success. We investigated how food resource availability influences agonistic interactions between the invasive cichlid <i>Oreochromis niloticus</i> and the native cichlid <i>Geophagus iporangensis</i>. Specifically, we assessed whether the invasive species interferes with the native species’ feeding behavior. Using neutral arenas, we staged competition trials under two conditions: initially without food and subsequently with food present. The native species served as the focal animal and was exposed to either a conspecific or an invasive competitor. Results showed that native species aggressiveness toward the invasive competitor was three times higher in the absence of food. Although <i>O. niloticus</i> was 1.6 times more aggressive than conspecifics, its presence did not affect the native species’ feeding rate, and no behavioral interference was observed. Instead, the invasive species relied primarily on scramble competition, initiating nine of ten trials and consuming seven times more food than the native cichlid. Our findings suggest that, beyond aggression, feeding behavior and resource exploitation are key mechanisms driving competitive exclusion by invasive species. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-c905a418db18419ea84f39616e5677bd2025-08-20T03:58:27ZengMDPI AGFishes2410-38882025-07-0110734010.3390/fishes10070340Eat First, Fight Later: Competitive Advantage of an Invasive Cichlid over a Native Competitor for Food ResourcesLeonardo Cirillo0Caio A. Miyai1Fábio H. C. Sanches2Alexandre L. Arvigo3Tânia M. Costa4Biosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Coastal Campus, São Vicente 11330-900, SP, BrazilBiosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Coastal Campus, São Vicente 11330-900, SP, BrazilInstitute of Marine Science (IMar), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Santos 11070-070, SP, BrazilNorthern University Center of Espírito Santo (CEUNES), Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES), São Mateus 29932-540, ES, BrazilBiosciences Institute, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Coastal Campus, São Vicente 11330-900, SP, BrazilCompetition for resources with invasive species can negatively impact native fauna. Invasive species often exhibit higher aggressiveness and monopolize resources through behavioral interference. However, their feeding behavior also plays a central role in invasion success. We investigated how food resource availability influences agonistic interactions between the invasive cichlid <i>Oreochromis niloticus</i> and the native cichlid <i>Geophagus iporangensis</i>. Specifically, we assessed whether the invasive species interferes with the native species’ feeding behavior. Using neutral arenas, we staged competition trials under two conditions: initially without food and subsequently with food present. The native species served as the focal animal and was exposed to either a conspecific or an invasive competitor. Results showed that native species aggressiveness toward the invasive competitor was three times higher in the absence of food. Although <i>O. niloticus</i> was 1.6 times more aggressive than conspecifics, its presence did not affect the native species’ feeding rate, and no behavioral interference was observed. Instead, the invasive species relied primarily on scramble competition, initiating nine of ten trials and consuming seven times more food than the native cichlid. Our findings suggest that, beyond aggression, feeding behavior and resource exploitation are key mechanisms driving competitive exclusion by invasive species.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/7/340behavioral interferenceaggressivenessNile tilapiapearl cichlidscramble competition |
| spellingShingle | Leonardo Cirillo Caio A. Miyai Fábio H. C. Sanches Alexandre L. Arvigo Tânia M. Costa Eat First, Fight Later: Competitive Advantage of an Invasive Cichlid over a Native Competitor for Food Resources Fishes behavioral interference aggressiveness Nile tilapia pearl cichlid scramble competition |
| title | Eat First, Fight Later: Competitive Advantage of an Invasive Cichlid over a Native Competitor for Food Resources |
| title_full | Eat First, Fight Later: Competitive Advantage of an Invasive Cichlid over a Native Competitor for Food Resources |
| title_fullStr | Eat First, Fight Later: Competitive Advantage of an Invasive Cichlid over a Native Competitor for Food Resources |
| title_full_unstemmed | Eat First, Fight Later: Competitive Advantage of an Invasive Cichlid over a Native Competitor for Food Resources |
| title_short | Eat First, Fight Later: Competitive Advantage of an Invasive Cichlid over a Native Competitor for Food Resources |
| title_sort | eat first fight later competitive advantage of an invasive cichlid over a native competitor for food resources |
| topic | behavioral interference aggressiveness Nile tilapia pearl cichlid scramble competition |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/7/340 |
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