This research investigated whether a hydrodynamic advantage of schooling is a component of fish collective behaviour. In flowing water, both turbulence and flow velocity affect fish movement. This study focused on flow velocity and the associated drag experienced by fish in the schools. In an experimental flume, a range of school sizes were exposed to different flow velocities and their movements recorded using an overhead camera. This data was processed to yield trajectories of individuals, from which information on schooling/individual parameters (e.g. position, acceleration and orientation) was extracted. Further analysis will assess how fish communicate with each other and how they organise themselves.

For this research the schooling species selected was the Common Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus).

People:

Jasper De Bie

Dr. Constantino Manes

Prof. Paul Kemp