LABORATORY OF BEHAVIOUR OF LOWER VERTEBRATES

 The Lab’s studies relate to the ecological and evolutionary aspects of fish behavior, basic questions concerning fish migrations, defense and foraging relationships of aquatic organisms, ethological organization of communities, the role of parasites in regulation of behavior, electroreception and electrocommunication in electric fishes, sensory bases for the behavior of fish and amphibians, behavior and ecology of introduced species, and development of the theory and methods of behavioral control.

A theory about defense-foraging behavior of fish has been developed, based on B.P. Manteifel’s concept of “triotroph.”  The mechanisms and ecological role of schools and migratory behavior have been identified, as well as behavioral and physiologicalbiochemical mechanisms of intrapopulation differentiation in fish, and changes in their behavior caused by parasites.  Also studied are the role of habitat complexity in the behavior and distribution of fishes, and evolution of electro-generating systems of fish. Applied studies are related to the theoretical bases for conservation of biodiversity, aquatic bioresources and natural reproduction of populations; to bionic modeling of electro-orientation in fish; development of biological foundations of aquaculture and prevention of fish loss in hydrotechnical facilities.