METABOLIC-RATE, SOCIAL-STATUS AND LIFE-HISTORY STRATEGIES IN ATLANTICSALMON

An animal's relative social status has major short- and long-term cons equences, yet its determinants are rarely known. Here a strong relatio nship between status and standard metabolic rate (SMR) in juvenile Atl antic salmon, Salmo salar, is demonstrated; the higher the SMR, the mo re dominant the fish. After controlling for SMR, the relative size, we ight or date of first feeding of two opponents had no effect on the ou tcome of encounters. Moreover, these differences in SMR are not a cons equence of experience in encounters, since it has previously been show n that the onset of aggressive behaviour occurs later. Since relative social status has a significant influence on subsequent developmental pathways in this species, these results indicate an indirect link betw een intraspecific variation in metabolic rates and life-history strate gies.