Data from: Is repeatability of metabolic rate influenced by social separation? a test with a teleost fish

Metabolic rates are typically thought to have important influences on fitness and more broadly be relevant to the ecology and evolution of animals. Previous studies demonstrate that metabolic rates are repeatable to a certain extent under constant conditions, but how social conditions influence the repeatability of metabolic rate remains largely unknown. In this study we investigated the repeatability of resting metabolic rate (RMR) in the highly-social crucian carp (Carassius auratus) after being socially separated for different time periods relative to control fish that were not socially separated. We found that RMR was repeatable in fish in the control group, while the repeatability of RMR disappeared quickly (even within 7 d) when fish were exposed to social separation. This study is the first to examine the role of social separation at different time periods on the repeatability of intra-individual physiological variation in fish. We highlight that inter-individual repeatability of metabolic rate can be substantial over time but was eliminated by social separation. The findings indicate that the repeatability of metabolic rate in fish is condition-dependent, and that the change in repeatability of metabolic rate should not be overlooked when considering the ecological and evolutionary effects of environmental change.

代谢率通常被认为对动物的适合度具有重要影响，且更广泛地与动物的生态学及进化过程相关。既往研究表明，在恒定环境条件下，代谢率具备一定程度的可重复性，但社会环境如何影响代谢率的可重复性，目前仍知之甚少。本研究以未经历社会隔离的高度社会化鲫鱼（Carassius auratus）为对照组，探究了经不同时长社会隔离的该物种个体的静息代谢率（resting metabolic rate, RMR）可重复性。研究结果显示，对照组鲫鱼的静息代谢率具备可重复性，而当鲫鱼处于社会隔离环境中时，其代谢率的可重复性会迅速消失（甚至仅需7 d即可消失）。本研究首次探讨了不同时长的社会隔离对鱼类个体内生理变异可重复性的影响。本研究指出，代谢率的个体间可重复性随时间推移可保持较高水平，但社会隔离会消除这一特性。本研究结果表明，鱼类代谢率的可重复性具有环境依赖性；在探讨环境变化的生态学与进化效应时，代谢率可重复性的变化不容忽视。