Smart animals: schools of fish swim better (Animals)

by David Turell , Monday, June 10, 2024, 16:54 (165 days ago) @ David Turell

In rough water:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/06/240606152109.htm

"Swimming through turbulent water is easier for schooling fish compared to solitary swimmers, according to a study published June 6...

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"In this study, Zhang and colleagues propose the "turbulent sheltering hypothesis," which suggests that traveling in schools allows fish to shield each other from disruptive water currents, thus making it easier to swim through rough waters.

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"High-speed cameras allowed researchers to observe the movements of the fish as they swam, and a respirometer allowed for measurements of fish respiration rates and energy expenditure.

"These trials revealed that schooling fish expended up to 79% less energy while swimming in turbulent water compared to solitary fish.

"Schooling fish also clustered more closely together in turbulent water compared to steady water, while solitary fish had to beat their tails much more vigorously to maintain the same speed in more turbulent currents.

"These results lend support to the "turbulence sheltering hypothesis," indicating that locomotion efficiency might be a driving factor behind the evolution of schooling behavior.

"This information is valuable for understanding fish ecology, fundamentals of hydrodynamics and it might also be applied to the design and maintenance of habitats meant to harbor protected fish species or to hinder invasive ones."

Comment: grouping together in herds is common for protection and may play a role in schooling of fish.