Six common behavioral trials and their relevance for perch performance in natural lakes

Behavioral traits measured in laboratory settings are commonly used when predicting ecological effects and evolutionary outcomes in natural systems. However, uncertainties regarding the relevance of simplified lab-based behavioral tests for complex natural environments have created doubts about the use of these tests within aquatic ecology and ecotoxicology. In this study, we scrutinize the assumption that fish performance in six commonly applied behavioral assays has relevance for in situ behavior, by comparing individual behavior tracked in both artificial laboratory settings as well as in two natural lakes. We show that: i) commonly measured behavioral traits of individual fish (Perca fluviatilis) have low predictive power for within-lake behaviors if interpreted alone, but that; ii) composite variables synthesized from several (six) behavioral assays explain important in situ measures such as swimming activity, dispersion, home-range size, and habitat preference. While our findings support recent criticisms against the use of single behavioral tests for predicting environmental effects, we provide empirical evidences suggesting that fish performances in multiple laboratory assays are highly relevant for fish behavior in nature. [Display omitted] •Animal behavior is a common tool to estimate effects of environmental change on aquatic ecosystems.•Individual laboratory behavioral assays of fish (Perca fluviatilis) have low predictive power for within-lake behaviors.•Composite variables derived from several behavioral assays explain important in situ measures.•Acoustic telemetry is used to determine in situ swimming activity, dispersion, home-range size, and habitat use of fish.