Spatial sorting and collective motion in mixed shoals of fish

• Main Author: Eriksson, Markus
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för informationsteknologi 2015
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-266207

Shoaling behaviour arises when fish respond to the movements and positions of nearby neighbours. The dynamic patterns of shoaling fish has been studied by the Mathematical department in Uppsala University. In this project experimental data collected for groups with two sizes of fish are analysed. An existing model was modified to reproduce the dynamic patterns in the fish shoal, this was done by comparing visual and statistical properties from the simulations with experimental observations. By analysing the impact of the parameters in the model it was found out that introducing limitations in the vision of the smaller fish are essential to be able to reproduce the behaviour of the mixed sized fish shoal. The limitations in the vision are speculated to be a representation of physiological limitations in the coordination of mechano-sensoric activities and visual information.