The role of individual behavioral traits on fishway passage attempt behavior

Variations in behavioural traits are widely recognised to drive animal behaviours exhibited within a population. However, information on how behaviour traits influence behaviour in anthropogenically modified habitats is lacking. Many habitats have become highly fragmented as a result of human processes. To mitigate this and improve habitat connectivity, wildlife passes are increasingly employed, with the aim of enabling animals to move freely between habitats. However, wildlife passes (e.g. fishways) are not always effective in achieving passage and it remains uncertain what factors play a role in an individual’s likelihood of passing successfully. This study measured three behavioural traits (boldness, exploration and activity) in juvenile brown trout (Salmo trutta; n =78) under field conditions within a river, and tested whether these behaviour traits influenced both the passage success and the behaviours exhibited during upstream fishway passage attempts. Although behavioural traits ...