Revealing Chronotypes Across Aquatic Species Using Acoustic Telemetry

ABSTRACT Acoustic telemetry offers valuable opportunities to investigate individual variability in circadian‐related and other behaviours and how environmental cues shape these patterns in wild fish populations. However, this potential has not yet been fully exploited. We conducted a meta‐analysis on 44 datasets from 34 distinct marine and freshwater species and different types of data (acoustic detections, depth, acceleration and positioning). Our aim was to explore the potential of acoustic telemetry in identifying chronotypes as consistent among‐individual differences in circadian‐related behaviours. First, we applied hidden semi‐Markov models to classify individual time series into active and rest states. Subsequently, we computed two classical circadian‐related behavioural traits: awakening time (as the activity onset) and rest onset (as the activity offset). Subsequently, we identified distinct phenotypes by decomposing behavioural variation into within‐ and among‐individual components based on repeatability scores. We found evidence of distinct chronotypes in 17 species, with average repeatability scores of 0.52 for awakening time and 0.43 for rest onset, revealing that chronotypes are common in aquatic species. Our findings highlight that both the data type, particularly acceleration sensors, and the number of detections are effective tools for exploring chronotypes. Our study proposes a novel approach to characterising daily activity patterns in aquatic species, predominantly in fishes, and provides guidelines for investigating chronotypes across diverse taxa. We emphasise the promise of biotelemetry and advanced statistical models for improving our understanding of the behaviour of aquatic species and highlight the value of synthesising across large data sets collected in networks of biotelemetryprojects.

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Publication Details

Journal
Fish and Fisheries
Published
2025-09-21
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1111/faf.70022
Citations
1
Primary Topic
Marine animal studies overview
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.72

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Revealing Chronotypes Across Aquatic Species Using Acoustic Telemetry

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Marine animal studies overview
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article

Revealing Chronotypes Across Aquatic Species Using Acoustic Telemetry

David Villegas‐Ríos, Christopher T. Monk, Martina Martorell‐Barceló, Josep Alós, Guðbjörg Ásta Ólafsdóttir, Margarida Barcelo‐Serra, Inge van der Knaap, Marie Prchalová, Antoni Gamundı́, Eneko Aspillaga, Jan Reubens, Milan Říha, Amàlia Grau, Esben Moland Olsen, M.C. Nicolau, Ivan Jarić, Mourad Akaârir, Renanel Pickholtz, Niels W. P. Brevé, Susan Lowerre‐Barbieri, Robert Arlinghaus, Pieterjan Verhelst, Andrzej Kapusta, Alexandre Alonso‐Fernández, Anja Katrin Nickel, Jan Grimsrud Davidsen, David Abecasis, Bernat Hereu
article en
1 citations

Abstract

ABSTRACT Acoustic telemetry offers valuable opportunities to investigate individual variability in circadian‐related and other behaviours and how environmental cues shape these patterns in wild fish populations. However, this potential has not yet been fully exploited. We conducted a meta‐analysis on 44 datasets from 34 distinct marine and freshwater species and different types of data (acoustic detections, depth, acceleration and positioning). Our aim was to explore the potential of acoustic telemetry in identifying chronotypes as consistent among‐individual differences in circadian‐related behaviours. First, we applied hidden semi‐Markov models to classify individual time series into active and rest states. Subsequently, we computed two classical circadian‐related behavioural traits: awakening time (as the activity onset) and rest onset (as the activity offset). Subsequently, we identified distinct phenotypes by decomposing behavioural variation into within‐ and among‐individual components based on repeatability scores. We found evidence of distinct chronotypes in 17 species, with average repeatability scores of 0.52 for awakening time and 0.43 for rest onset, revealing that chronotypes are common in aquatic species. Our findings highlight that both the data type, particularly acceleration sensors, and the number of detections are effective tools for exploring chronotypes. Our study proposes a novel approach to characterising daily activity patterns in aquatic species, predominantly in fishes, and provides guidelines for investigating chronotypes across diverse taxa. We emphasise the promise of biotelemetry and advanced statistical models for improving our understanding of the behaviour of aquatic species and highlight the value of synthesising across large data sets collected in networks of biotelemetryprojects.

Fish and FisheriesVol. 26(6)
Flanders Marine Institute (BE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ES), Tel Aviv University (IL), University of Iceland (IS), Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (US), Czech Academy of Sciences (CZ), Research Institute for Nature and Forest (BE), Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (NO), University of Florida (US), GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (DE), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE), Ecologie, Société, Evolution (FR), University Centre of the Westfjords (IS), Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (SI), Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas (ES), Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (DE), Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (ES), Health Research Institute of the Balearic Islands (ES), Department of Fisheries (ZM), Vitensenteret i Trondheim (NO), Stanisław Sakowicz Inland Fisheries Institute (PL), Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (CZ), Royal Dutch Society for the Promotion of Dentistry (NL), Universitat de les Illes Balears (ES), University of Algarve (PT), Universitat de Barcelona (ES), Wageningen University & Research (NL)
Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee, European Commission, Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Norges Forskningsråd, LifeWatch – Niclas Öberg Foundation, Axencia Galega de Innovación, Vlaamse regering, Govern de les Illes Balears, Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Národní Agentura pro Zemědělský Výzkum, Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Openalex Percentile: Top 13%
Marine animal studies overview
1.72
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