@article{fdi:010097091,
  title = {{O}cean acidification, more than warming or heatwaves, constrains shoaling behaviour in a range-extending fish through habitat simplification},
  author = {{M}itchell, {A}. and {C}onnell, {S}. {D}. and {H}art, {M}. {E}. and {H}arvey, {B}. and {A}gostini, {S}ylvain and {S}patafora, {D}. and {I}zumiyama, {M}. and {B}ooth, {D}. {J}. and {R}avasi, {T}. and {N}agelkerken, {I}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{S}ocial context is a critical yet underexplored determinant of behavioural resilience to climate change. {G}roup living can buffer individuals against environmental stress through enhanced vigilance, reduced predation risk and improved foraging efficiency. {H}owever, whether these behavioural expressions persist under chronic (warming, acidification) and acute (marine heatwaves) climate stressors remains unclear. {U}sing natural climate analogues spanning present-day, ocean warming and combined warming-acidification reefs, we quantified how shoal size influences behavioural expression in a range-extending reef fish ({P}omacentrus coelestis). {A}cross all climate conditions, fish in larger shoals consistently exhibited higher foraging and activity levels and reduced risk-avoidance behaviours, whereas direct effects of warming, acidification and heatwaves on behaviour were negligible. {I}n contrast, ocean acidification most likely constrained collective behaviour indirectly by simplifying benthic habitats, where fish densities were 84% lower than at the warming reef, resulting in shoals that were up to 79% smaller than the {W}arming and {C}ontrol reefs. {C}ombined, our data suggest that shoal size mediates behavioural expression between foraging and predator avoidance and that acidification-driven habitat simplification can alter behavioural expression indirectly by reducing fish densities and the formation of large shoals. {W}e conclude that climate change can indirectly modify behavioural expression in shoal-forming fishes through habitat-driven erosion of social structure.},
  keywords = {behavioural plasticity ; climate change ; collective behaviour ; marine ; heatwaves ; natural analogues ; ocean acidification ; ocean warming ; reef ; fish ; {JAPON}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {A}nimal {E}cology},
  volume = {[{E}arly access]},
  numero = {},
  pages = {[15 p.]},
  ISSN = {0021-8790},
  year = {2026},
  DOI = {10.1111/1365-2656.70270},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010097091},
}