Imprinting and Sensitive Period of Development: Fish and Goose
Write a brief research report on the imprinting timeline and factors of two species that are significantly different from each other (don’t choose chickens and ducks, for example). Your paper should be approximately 500 words.
Describe the sensitive periods of development and natural imprinting process for these two species.
Compare and contrast similarities and differences on the imprinting process in these two species.
Then, explain how human intervention can/should be used in the species’ management and training in human-managed contexts (like a zoo, aquarium, or farm).
How might this inform behavior modification practices for these two species?
Cite and reference at least one outside credible source for each species.
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A Comparison Between a Fish and a Goose
Imprinting and Sensitive Period of Development
Fish
In aquatic environments, olfactory imprinting is prevalent, as demonstrated by species like anadromous salmon that preferentially recognize the olfactory cues of their natal rivers after years of oceanic migration. Olfactory imprinting and guided navigation are more common in the marine realm than previously believed, including among coral reef fish that exhibit preferences for their home reef odors. Two main olfactory imprinting processes exist, involving environmental and chemical cues from kin (Gerlach et al., 2019).
Variability in the timing and duration of sensitive periods is observed among fish species. A study on Atractosteus tropicus revealed distinct responses to diverse environmental stressors. Specifically, increased temperatures, hypoxia, and hyperoxia adversely impacted larval survival during the incubation stage. At the same time, salinities of 4.0 ppt and 6.0 ppt after hatching resulted in complete mortality during developmental