Population variation in lipid depletion during parental care in male threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus)

I examined changes in stored lipid over the parental care interval in several populations of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Males from the limnetic populations and the marine population decreased in stored lipids over the progression of the nesting interval. Of the two benthic populations, one (Hotel Lake) did not decrease stored lipids over the parental care interval, as predicted, whereas the other (Crystal Lake) showed declining stored lipids over the parental care interval. Though food resources are likely high in the nesting area of Crystal Lake, the high density of conspecific cannibal groups in the littoral zone likely contributes to reduced foraging and elevated guarding/diversionary display behaviour and dependency on stored lipids to fuel those behaviours in the Crystal Lake (benthic) population. This study demonstrates the value of considering different ecological conditions on behavioural and energetic constraints among populations of threespine stickleback.