1
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Cloutier Z, Festa-Bianchet M, Pelletier F. Direct and indirect effects of cougar predation on bighorn sheep fitness. Ecology 2024:e4374. [PMID: 39031035 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.4374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024]
Abstract
Predation has direct effects on prey population dynamics through mortality, and it can induce indirect effects through fear. The indirect effects of predation have been documented experimentally, but few studies have quantified them in nature so that their role in prey population dynamics remains controversial. Given the expanding or reintroduced populations of large predators in many areas, the quantification of indirect effects of predation is crucial. We sought to evaluate the direct and indirect fitness effects of intense cougar (Puma concolor) predation using 48 years of data on marked bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) on Ram Mountain, Alberta, Canada. We compared years of intense cougar predation with years with no or occasional cougar predation. We first quantified the effects of predation on neonatal, weaning, and overwinter lamb survival, three metrics potentially affected by direct and indirect effects. We then investigated the possible indirect effects of intense cougar predation on lamb production, female summer mass gain, and lamb mass at weaning. We found strong effects of cougar predation on lamb survival, lamb production, and seasonal mass gain of lambs and adult females. In years with high predation, neonatal, weaning, and overwinter lamb survival declined by 18.4%, 19.7% and 20.8%, respectively. Indirect effects included a 14.2% decline in lamb production. Female summer mass gain decreased by 15.6% and lamb mass at weaning declined by 8.0% in years of intense cougar predation. Our findings bring key insights on the impacts of predation on prey fitness by reporting moderate to large effects on recruitment and illustrate the importance of indirect effects of predation on population dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Cloutier
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marco Festa-Bianchet
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Centre d'études nordiques, Québec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Fanie Pelletier
- Département de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Centre d'études nordiques, Québec City, Quebec, Canada
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2
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Jackson Z, Xue B. Dynamic Trait Distribution as a Source for Shifts in Interaction Strength and Population Density. Am Nat 2024; 204:1-14. [PMID: 38857344 DOI: 10.1086/730264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
AbstractIntraspecific trait variation has been increasingly recognized as an important factor in determining species interactions and diversity. Eco-evolutionary models have studied the distribution of trait values within a population that changes over the generations as a result of selection and heritability. Nonheritable traits that can change within the lifetime, such as behavior, can cause trait-mediated indirect effects, often studied by modeling the dynamics of a homogeneous trait. Complementary to these approaches, we study the distribution of traits within a population and its dynamics on short timescales due to ecological processes. We consider several mechanisms by which the trait distribution can shift dynamically: phenotypic plasticity within each individual, differential growth among individuals, and preferential consumption by the predator. Through a simple predator-prey model that explicitly tracks the trait distribution within the prey, we identify the density and trait effects from the predator. We show that the dynamic shift of the trait distribution can lead to the modification of interaction strength between species and result in otherwise unexpected consequences. A particular example is the emergent promotion of the prey by the predator, where the introduction of the predator causes the prey population to increase rather than decrease.
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3
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Gable TD, Johnson-Bice SM, Homkes AT, Fieberg J, Bump JK. Wolves alter the trajectory of forests by shaping the central place foraging behaviour of an ecosystem engineer. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231377. [PMID: 37935367 PMCID: PMC10645084 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Predators can directly and indirectly alter the foraging behaviour of prey through direct predation and the risk of predation, and in doing so, initiate indirect effects that influence myriad species and ecological processes. We describe how wolves indirectly alter the trajectory of forests by constraining the distance that beavers, a central place forager and prolific ecosystem engineer, forage from water. Specifically, we demonstrate that wolves wait in ambush and kill beavers on longer feeding trails than would be expected based on the spatio-temporal availability of beavers. This pattern is driven by temporal dynamics of beaver foraging: beavers make more foraging trips and spend more time on land per trip on longer feeding trails that extend farther from water. As a result, beavers are more vulnerable on longer feeding trails than shorter ones. Wolf predation appears to be a selective evolutionary pressure propelled by consumptive and non-consumptive mechanisms that constrain the distance from water beavers forage, which in turn limits the area of forest around wetlands, lakes and rivers beavers alter through foraging. Thus, wolves appear intricately linked to boreal forest dynamics by shaping beaver foraging behaviour, a form of natural disturbance that alters the successional and ecological states of forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D. Gable
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circles, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Sean M. Johnson-Bice
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3T 2N2
| | - Austin T. Homkes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circles, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - John Fieberg
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circles, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Joseph K. Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, 2003 Upper Buford Circles, St Paul, MN 55108, USA
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4
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Sommer NR, Alshwairikh YA, Arietta AZA, Skelly DK, Buchkowski RW. Prey metabolic responses to predators depend on predator hunting mode and prey antipredator defenses. OIKOS 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie R. Sommer
- Yale School of the Environment, Greeley Memorial Laboratory New Haven CT USA
| | - Yara A. Alshwairikh
- Yale School of the Environment, Greeley Memorial Laboratory New Haven CT USA
| | - A. Z. Andis Arietta
- Yale School of the Environment, Greeley Memorial Laboratory New Haven CT USA
| | - David K. Skelly
- Yale School of the Environment, Greeley Memorial Laboratory New Haven CT USA
| | - Robert W. Buchkowski
- Yale School of the Environment, Greeley Memorial Laboratory New Haven CT USA
- Dept of Biology, Univ. of Western Ontario, Biological and Geological Sciences Building London ON Canada
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5
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Webber QMR, Albery GF, Farine DR, Pinter-Wollman N, Sharma N, Spiegel O, Vander Wal E, Manlove K. Behavioural ecology at the spatial-social interface. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:868-886. [PMID: 36691262 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Spatial and social behaviour are fundamental aspects of an animal's biology, and their social and spatial environments are indelibly linked through mutual causes and shared consequences. We define the 'spatial-social interface' as intersection of social and spatial aspects of individuals' phenotypes and environments. Behavioural variation at the spatial-social interface has implications for ecological and evolutionary processes including pathogen transmission, population dynamics, and the evolution of social systems. We link spatial and social processes through a foundation of shared theory, vocabulary, and methods. We provide examples and future directions for the integration of spatial and social behaviour and environments. We introduce key concepts and approaches that either implicitly or explicitly integrate social and spatial processes, for example, graph theory, density-dependent habitat selection, and niche specialization. Finally, we discuss how movement ecology helps link the spatial-social interface. Our review integrates social and spatial behavioural ecology and identifies testable hypotheses at the spatial-social interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quinn M R Webber
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets, Washington, DC, 20007, USA.,Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Wallotstraße 19, 14193, Berlin, Germany.,Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Universitatsstraße 10, 78464, Constance, Germany.,Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| | - Noa Pinter-Wollman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Nitika Sharma
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Orr Spiegel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Department of Biology, Memorial University, St. John's, NL, A1C 5S7, Canada
| | - Kezia Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT, 84322, USA
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6
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Fu Y, Xu G, Li Y, Gao S, Guo Q, Yang H. Technological innovation facilitates the practice of "three-dimensional ecology". iScience 2022; 26:105767. [PMID: 36590167 PMCID: PMC9800287 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The development of "three-dimensional ecology" reveals refreshing phenomena and challenges us to use three-dimensional information for studying animal perception. We created a new processing framework to quantify the shielding effect using a reconstructed environmental structure. The framework achieves three objectives: 1) the observed is introduced, 2) the observed space size can be flexibly dealt with, and 3) three-dimensional attributes are assigned to the environmental structure. Our processing framework is an applicable method to "three-dimensional ecology" based on the three-dimensional attributes of physical structures. We advocate for greater emphasis on "three-dimensional ecology" to recreate realistic animal living conditions and better reveal their behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanwen Fu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Engineering, Northeast Tiger and Leopard Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Amur Tiger and Amur Leopard Monitoring and Research Center, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory for Conservation Ecology in Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Guangcai Xu
- Beijing GreenValley Technology Co., Ltd, Haidian District, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Yumei Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shang Gao
- Beijing GreenValley Technology Co., Ltd, Haidian District, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Qinghua Guo
- Institute of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China,Corresponding author
| | - Haitao Yang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Engineering, Northeast Tiger and Leopard Biodiversity National Observation and Research Station, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Amur Tiger and Amur Leopard Monitoring and Research Center, National Forestry and Grassland Administration Key Laboratory for Conservation Ecology in Northeast Tiger and Leopard National Park, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China,Institute of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China,Corresponding author
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7
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Barnas AF, Geldart EA, Love OP, Jagielski PM, Harris CM, Gilchrist HG, Hennin HL, Richardson ES, Dey CJ, Semeniuk CA. Predatory cue use in flush responses of a colonial nesting seabird during polar bear foraging. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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8
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Baker HK, Li SS, Samu SC, Jones NT, Symons CC, Shurin JB. Prey naiveté alters the balance of consumptive and non‐consumptive predator effects and shapes trophic cascades in freshwater plankton. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Henry K. Baker
- Section of Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, Univ. of California San Diego CA USA
| | - Stephanie S. Li
- Section of Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, Univ. of California San Diego CA USA
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State Univ. Columbus OH USA
| | - Stefan C. Samu
- Section of Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, Univ. of California San Diego CA USA
| | - Natalie T. Jones
- Section of Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, Univ. of California San Diego CA USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Univ. of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Celia C. Symons
- Dept of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Univ. of California Irvine CA USA
| | - Jonathan B. Shurin
- Section of Ecology, Behavior and Evolution, Univ. of California San Diego CA USA
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9
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Zhu J, Gosnell JS, Akallal L, Goltsman M. Fear changes traits and increases survival: a meta‐analysis evaluating the efficacy of antipredator training in captive‐rearing programs. Restor Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/rec.13674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Zhu
- PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center City University of New York 365 5th Ave New York New York 10016 United States
- Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College City University of New York 17 Lexington Ave New York New York 10010 United States
| | - J. Stephen Gosnell
- PhD Program in Biology, The Graduate Center City University of New York 365 5th Ave New York New York 10016 United States
- Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College City University of New York 17 Lexington Ave New York New York 10010 United States
| | - Laila Akallal
- Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College City University of New York 17 Lexington Ave New York New York 10010 United States
| | - Micah Goltsman
- Department of Natural Sciences, Baruch College City University of New York 17 Lexington Ave New York New York 10010 United States
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10
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Weterings MJ, Meister N, Fey K, Jansen PA, van Langevelde F, Kuipers HJ. Context-dependent responses of naïve ungulates to wolf-sound playback in a human-dominated landscape. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.12.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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11
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Chitwood MC, Baruzzi C, Lashley MA. “Ecology of fear” in ungulates: Opportunities for improving conservation. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8657. [PMID: 35261746 PMCID: PMC8888265 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Because ungulates are important contributors to ecosystem function, understanding the “ecology of fear” could be important to the conservation of ecosystems. Although studying ungulate ecology of fear is common, knowledge from ungulate systems is highly contested among ecologists. Here, we review the available literature on the ecology of fear in ungulates to generalize our current knowledge and how we can leverage it for conservation. Four general focus areas emerged from the 275 papers included in our literature search (and some papers were included in multiple categories): behavioral responses to predation risk (79%), physiological responses to predation risk (15%), trophic cascades resulting from ungulate responses to predation risk (20%), and manipulation of predation risk (1%). Of papers focused on behavior, 75% were about movement and habitat selection. Studies were biased toward North America (53%), tended to be focused on elk (Cervus canadensis; 29%), and were dominated by gray wolves (40%) or humans (39%) as predators of interest. Emerging literature suggests that we can utilize predation risk for conservation with top‐down (i.e., increasing predation risk) and bottom‐up (i.e., manipulating landscape characteristics to increase risk or risk perception) approaches. It is less clear whether fear‐related changes in physiology have population‐level fitness consequences or cascading effects, which could be fruitful avenues for future research. Conflicting evidence of trait‐mediated trophic cascades might be improved with better replication across systems and accounting for confounding effects of ungulate density. Improving our understanding of mechanisms modulating the nature of trophic cascades likely is most important to ensure desirable conservation outcomes. We recommend future work embrace the complexity of natural systems by attempting to link together the focal areas of study identified herein.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Colter Chitwood
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management Oklahoma State University Stillwater Oklahoma USA
| | - Carolina Baruzzi
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Mississippi State University Starkville Mississippi USA
- School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
| | - Marcus A. Lashley
- Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Mississippi State University Starkville Mississippi USA
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
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12
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Parker EJ, Hill RA, Koyama NF. Behavioral responses to spatial variation in perceived predation risk and resource availability in an arboreal primate. Ecosphere 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Edwin J. Parker
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK
- Primate and Predator Project Lajuma Research Centre Louis Trichardt South Africa
| | - Russell A. Hill
- Primate and Predator Project Lajuma Research Centre Louis Trichardt South Africa
- Department of Anthropology Durham University Durham UK
- Department of Zoology University of Venda Thohoyandou South Africa
| | - Nicola F. Koyama
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool UK
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13
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McDonald PG, Doohan SJ, Eveleigh KJ. Using referential alarm signals to remotely quantify ‘landscapes of fear’ in fragmented woodland. BIOACOUSTICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2021.2013319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paul G. McDonald
- Animal Behaviour and Ecology Lab, Zoology, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | - Samantha J. Doohan
- Animal Behaviour and Ecology Lab, Zoology, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
| | - Kyia J. Eveleigh
- Animal Behaviour and Ecology Lab, Zoology, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, Australia
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14
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Monk JD, Schmitz OJ. Landscapes shaped from the top down: predicting cascading predator effects on spatial biogeochemistry. OIKOS 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.08554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Julia D. Monk
- School of the Environment, Yale Univ. New Haven CT USA
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15
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Grade AM, Lerman SB, Warren PS. Perilous choices: landscapes of fear for adult birds reduces nestling condition across an urban gradient. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron M. Grade
- Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology University of Massachusetts 160 Holdsworth Way Amherst Massachusetts 01003 USA
| | - Susannah B. Lerman
- USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station 160 Holdsworth Way Amherst Massachusetts 01003 USA
| | - Paige S. Warren
- Department of Environmental Conservation University of Massachusetts 160 Holdsworth Way Amherst Massachusetts 01003 USA
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16
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Gable TD, Homkes AT, Johnson-Bice SM, Windels SK, Bump JK. Wolves choose ambushing locations to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Comprehensive knowledge of ambush behavior requires an understanding of where a predator expects prey to be, which is generally unknowable because ambush predators often hunt mobile prey that exhibit complex, irregular, or inconspicuous movements. Wolves (Canis lupus) are primarily cursorial predators, but they use ambush strategies to hunt beavers (Castor canadensis). Terrestrial beaver activity is predictable because beavers use well-defined, conspicuous habitat features repeatedly. Thus, studying where wolves wait-in-ambush for beavers provides a unique opportunity to understand how predators choose ambush locations in relation to prey activity. We searched 11 817 clusters of GPS locations from wolves in the Greater Voyageurs Ecosystem, International Falls, MN, and documented 748 ambushing sites and 214 instances where wolves killed beavers. Wolves chose ambush locations: 1) with olfactory concealment to avoid detection from the highly developed olfactory senses of beavers and 2) close (generally <5 m) to beaver habitat features to take advantage of beavers’ inability to visually detect motionless predators. Our work describes in detail the ambush strategies wolves use to hunt beavers and continues to overturn the traditional notion that wolves rely solely on cursorial hunting strategies. We also demonstrate that ambush predators can anticipate the movements and behavior of their prey due to a fundamental understanding of their prey’s sensory abilities. Wolves, therefore, and likely ambush predators in general, appear capable of simultaneously accounting for abiotic and biotic factors when choosing ambush locations, ultimately allowing them to counter and capitalize on the sensory abilities of their prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Gable
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Austin T Homkes
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Sean M Johnson-Bice
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Steve K Windels
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
- Voyageurs National Park, National Park Service, International Falls, MN, USA
| | - Joseph K Bump
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
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17
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Palmer MS, Portales-Reyes C, Potter C, Mech LD, Isbell F. Behaviorally-mediated trophic cascade attenuated by prey use of risky places at safe times. Oecologia 2021; 195:235-248. [PMID: 33389153 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04816-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The mere threat of predation may incite behavioral changes in prey that lead to community-wide impacts on productivity, biodiversity, and nutrient cycling. The paucity of experimental manipulations, however, has contributed to controversy over the strength of this pathway in wide-ranging vertebrate systems. We investigated whether simulated gray wolf (Canis lupus) presence can induce behaviorally-mediated trophic cascades, specifically, whether the 'fear' of wolf olfactory cues alone can change deer foraging behavior in ways that affect plants and soils. Wolves were recently removed from the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve (Minnesota, USA), such that consumptively mediated predator effects were negligible. At 32 experimental plots, we crossed two nested treatments: wolf urine application and herbivore exclosures. We deployed camera traps to quantify how white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) adjusted their spatiotemporal habitat use, foraging, and vigilance in response to wolf cues and how these behavioral changes affected plant productivity, plant communities, and soil nutrients. Weekly applications of wolf urine significantly altered deer behavior, but deer responses did not cascade to affect plant or soil properties. Deer substantially reduced crepuscular activity at wolf-simulated sites compared to control locations. As wolves in this area predominantly hunted during mornings and evenings, this response potentially allows deer to maximize landscape use by accessing dangerous areas when temporal threat is low. Our experiment suggests that prey may be sensitive to 'dynamic' predation risk that is structured across both space and time and, consequentially, prey use of risky areas during safe times may attenuate behaviorally-mediated trophic cascades at the predator-prey interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith S Palmer
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55104, USA. .,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA.
| | - C Portales-Reyes
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55104, USA
| | - C Potter
- Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, University of Minnesota, East Bethel, MN, USA
| | - L David Mech
- U.S. Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, ND, USA
| | - Forest Isbell
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55104, USA.,Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, University of Minnesota, East Bethel, MN, USA
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18
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Gaynor KM, Cherry MJ, Gilbert SL, Kohl MT, Larson CL, Newsome TM, Prugh LR, Suraci JP, Young JK, Smith JA. An applied ecology of fear framework: linking theory to conservation practice. Anim Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M. Gaynor
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis University of California, Santa Barbara Santa Barbara CA USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
| | - Michael J. Cherry
- Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute Texas A&M University‐Kingsville Kingsville Texas USA
| | - Sophie L. Gilbert
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences University of Idaho Moscow Idaho USA
| | - Michel T. Kohl
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources University of Georgia Athens Georgia USA
| | | | - Thomas M. Newsome
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia
| | - Laura R. Prugh
- School of Environmental and Forest Sciences University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Justin P. Suraci
- Center for Integrated Spatial Research Environmental Studies Department University of California Santa Cruz CA USA
| | - Julie K. Young
- Predator Research Facility USDA‐National Wildlife Research Center Millville Utah USA
| | - Justine A. Smith
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California, Berkeley Berkeley CA USA
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology University of California, Davis Davis CA USA
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19
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Wilson MW, Ridlon AD, Gaynor KM, Gaines SD, Stier AC, Halpern BS. Ecological impacts of human-induced animal behaviour change. Ecol Lett 2020; 23:1522-1536. [PMID: 32705769 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of literature has documented myriad effects of human activities on animal behaviour, yet the ultimate ecological consequences of these behavioural shifts remain largely uninvestigated. While it is understood that, in the absence of humans, variation in animal behaviour can have cascading effects on species interactions, community structure and ecosystem function, we know little about whether the type or magnitude of human-induced behavioural shifts translate into detectable ecological change. Here we synthesise empirical literature and theory to create a novel framework for examining the range of behaviourally mediated pathways through which human activities may affect different ecosystem functions. We highlight the few empirical studies that show the potential realisation of some of these pathways, but also identify numerous factors that can dampen or prevent ultimate ecosystem consequences. Without a deeper understanding of these pathways, we risk wasting valuable resources on mitigating behavioural effects with little ecological relevance, or conversely mismanaging situations in which behavioural effects do drive ecosystem change. The framework presented here can be used to anticipate the nature and likelihood of ecological outcomes and prioritise management among widespread human-induced behavioural shifts, while also suggesting key priorities for future research linking humans, animal behaviour and ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret W Wilson
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - April D Ridlon
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA
| | - Kaitlyn M Gaynor
- National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA
| | - Steven D Gaines
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Adrian C Stier
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA
| | - Benjamin S Halpern
- Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.,National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA
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20
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Killer whale presence drives bowhead whale selection for sea ice in Arctic seascapes of fear. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:6590-6598. [PMID: 32152110 PMCID: PMC7104343 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1911761117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of predator intimidation on habitat use and behavior of prey species are rarely quantified for large marine vertebrates over ecologically relevant scales. Using state space movement models followed by a series of step selection functions, we analyzed movement data of concurrently tracked prey, bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus; n = 7), and predator, killer whales (Orcinus orca; n = 3), in a large (63,000 km2), partially ice-covered gulf in the Canadian Arctic. Our analysis revealed pronounced predator-mediated shifts in prey habitat use and behavior over much larger spatiotemporal scales than previously documented in any marine or terrestrial ecosystem. The striking shift from use of open water (predator-free) to dense sea ice and shorelines (predators present) was exhibited gulf-wide by all tracked bowheads during the entire 3-wk period killer whales were present, constituting a nonconsumptive effect (NCE) with unknown energetic or fitness costs. Sea ice is considered quintessential habitat for bowhead whales, and ice-covered areas have frequently been interpreted as preferred bowhead foraging habitat in analyses that have not assessed predator effects. Given the NCEs of apex predators demonstrated here, however, unbiased assessment of habitat use and distribution of bowhead whales and many marine species may not be possible without explicitly incorporating spatiotemporal distribution of predation risk. The apparent use of sea ice as a predator refuge also has implications for how bowhead whales, and likely other ice-associated Arctic marine mammals, will cope with changes in Arctic sea ice dynamics as historically ice-covered areas become increasingly ice-free during summer.
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21
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Kimbro DL, Tillotson HG, White JW. Environmental forcing and predator consumption outweigh the nonconsumptive effects of multiple predators on oyster reefs. Ecology 2020; 101:e03041. [PMID: 32134508 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
The ability to predict how predators structure ecosystems has been shown to depend on identifying both consumptive effects (CEs) and nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) of predators on prey fitness. Prey populations may also be affected by interactions between multiple predators across life stages of the prey and by environmental factors such as disturbance. However, the intersection of these multiple drivers of prey dynamics has yet to be empirically evaluated. We addressed this knowledge gap using eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), a species known to suffer NCEs, as the focal prey. Over 4 months, we manipulated orthogonally the life stage (none, juvenile, adult, or both) at which oysters experienced simulated predation (CE) and exposure to olfactory cues of a juvenile oyster predator (crab), adult predator (conch), sequentially the crab and then the conch, or none. We replicated this experiment at three sites along an environmental gradient in a Florida (USA) estuary. For both juvenile and adult oysters, survival was reduced solely by CEs, and variation in growth was best explained by among-site variation in water flow, with a much smaller and negative effect of predator cue. Adults exposed to conch cue exhibited reduced growth (an NCE), but this effect was outweighed by a positive CE on growth: Surviving oysters grew faster at lower densities. Finally, conch cue reduced larval settlement (another NCE), but this was swamped by among-site variation in larval supply. This research highlights how strong environmental gradients and predator CEs may outweigh the influence of NCEs, even in prey known to respond to predator cues. These findings serve as a cautionary tale for the importance of evaluating NCE processes over temporal scales and across environmental gradients relevant to prey demography.
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Affiliation(s)
- David L Kimbro
- Department of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, Massachusetts, 01908, USA
| | - Hanna G Tillotson
- Department of Biology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306, USA.,Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Tallahassee, Florida, 32399, USA
| | - J Wilson White
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Coastal Oregon Marine Experiment Station, Oregon State University, Newport, Oregon, 97365, USA
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22
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Boudreau MR, Seguin JL, Boonstra R, Palme R, Boutin S, Krebs CJ, Murray DL. Experimental increase in predation risk causes a cascading stress response in free-ranging snowshoe hares. Oecologia 2019; 191:311-323. [PMID: 31535254 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-019-04500-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Extensive research confirms that environmental stressors like predation risk can profoundly affect animal condition and physiology. However, there is a lack of experimental research assessing the suite of physiological responses to risk that may arise under realistic field conditions, leaving a fragmented picture of risk-related physiological change and potential downstream consequences on individuals. We increased predation risk in free-ranging snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) during two consecutive summers by simulating natural chases using a model predator and monitored hares intensively via radio-telemetry and physiological assays, including measures designed to assess changes in stress physiology and overall condition. Compared to controls, risk-augmented hares had 25.8% higher free plasma cortisol, 15.9% lower cortisol-binding capacity, a greater neutrophil:lymphocyte skew, and a 10.4% increase in glucose. Despite these changes, intra-annual changes in two distinct condition indices, were unaffected by risk exposure. We infer risk-augmented hares compensated for changes in their stress physiology through either compensatory foraging and/or metabolic changes, which allowed them to have comparable condition to controls. Although differences between controls and risk-augmented hares were consistent each year, both groups had heightened stress measures during the second summer, likely reflecting an increase in natural stressors (i.e., predators) in the environment. We show that increased predation risk in free-ranging animals can profoundly alter stress physiology and that compensatory responses may contribute to limiting effects of such changes on condition. Ultimately, our results also highlight the importance of biologically relevant experimental risk manipulations in the wild as a means of assessing physiological responses to natural stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie R Boudreau
- Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9J 0G2, Canada.
| | - Jacob L Seguin
- Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9J 0G2, Canada
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Center for Neurobiology of Stress, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stan Boutin
- Faculty of Science, 1-001 CCIS, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Charles J Krebs
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Dennis L Murray
- Environmental and Life Sciences, Trent University, Peterborough, ON, K9J 0G2, Canada
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23
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Oli MK. Population cycles in voles and lemmings: state of the science and future directions. Mamm Rev 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Madan K. Oli
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of Florida 110 Newins‐Ziegler Hall Gainesville FL 32611 USA
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24
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Pessarrodona A, Boada J, Pagès JF, Arthur R, Alcoverro T. Consumptive and non‐consumptive effects of predators vary with the ontogeny of their prey. Ecology 2019; 100:e02649. [DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 12/01/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Albert Pessarrodona
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB‐CSIC) Carrer d'Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14 Blanes 17300 Spain
| | - Jordi Boada
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB‐CSIC) Carrer d'Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14 Blanes 17300 Spain
- Centre for Marine Bio‐Innovation School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
| | - Jordi F. Pagès
- School of Ocean Sciences Bangor University Menai Bridge LL59 5AB United Kingdom
| | - Rohan Arthur
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB‐CSIC) Carrer d'Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14 Blanes 17300 Spain
- Nature Conservation Foundation Amritha, 1311, 12th Cross, Vijayanagara 1st stage Mysore 570017 India
| | - Teresa Alcoverro
- Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB‐CSIC) Carrer d'Accés a la cala Sant Francesc 14 Blanes 17300 Spain
- Nature Conservation Foundation Amritha, 1311, 12th Cross, Vijayanagara 1st stage Mysore 570017 India
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25
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Gaynor KM, Brown JS, Middleton AD, Power ME, Brashares JS. Landscapes of Fear: Spatial Patterns of Risk Perception and Response. Trends Ecol Evol 2019; 34:355-368. [PMID: 30745252 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 236] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Animals experience varying levels of predation risk as they navigate heterogeneous landscapes, and behavioral responses to perceived risk can structure ecosystems. The concept of the landscape of fear has recently become central to describing this spatial variation in risk, perception, and response. We present a framework linking the landscape of fear, defined as spatial variation in prey perception of risk, to the underlying physical landscape and predation risk, and to resulting patterns of prey distribution and antipredator behavior. By disambiguating the mechanisms through which prey perceive risk and incorporate fear into decision making, we can better quantify the nonlinear relationship between risk and response and evaluate the relative importance of the landscape of fear across taxa and ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Gaynor
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA. https://twitter.com/@kaitlyngaynor%20
| | - Joel S Brown
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, 845 West Taylor Street (MC 066), Chicago, IL 60607, USA; Department of Integrated Mathematical Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, 12902 Magnolia Dr., Tampa, FL 33612, USA; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Arthur D Middleton
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Mary E Power
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, 3060 Valley Life Sciences Building #3140, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Justin S Brashares
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, 130 Mulford Hall #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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26
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DeWitt PD, Visscher DR, Schuler MS, Thiel RP. Predation risks suppress lifetime fitness in a wild mammal. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.05935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Philip D. DeWitt
- Science and Research Branch, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough ON K9J 3C7 Canada
| | | | - Matthew S. Schuler
- Dept of Biological Sciences, Darrin Fresh Water Inst., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy NY USA
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27
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Exposure to Chemical Cues from Predator-Exposed Conspecifics Increases Reproduction in a Wild Rodent. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17214. [PMID: 30464245 PMCID: PMC6249244 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35568-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Predation involves more than just predators consuming prey. Indirect effects, such as fear responses caused by predator presence, can have consequences for prey life history. Laboratory experiments have shown that some rodents can recognize fear in conspecifics via alarm pheromones. Individuals exposed to alarm pheromones can exhibit behavioural alterations that are similar to those displayed by predator-exposed individuals. Yet the ecological and evolutionary significance of alarm pheromones in wild mammals remains unclear. We investigated how alarm pheromones affect the behaviour and fitness of wild bank voles (Myodes glareolus) in outdoor enclosures. Specifically, we compared the effects of exposure of voles living in a natural environment to a second-hand fear cue, bedding material used by predator-exposed voles. Control animals were exposed to bedding used by voles with no predator experience. We found a ca. 50% increase in litter size in the group exposed to the predator cue. Furthermore, female voles were attracted to and males were repelled by trap-associated bedding that had been used by predator-exposed voles. Movement and foraging were not significantly affected by the treatment. Our results suggest that predation risk can exert population-level effects through alarm pheromones on prey individuals that did not encounter a direct predator cue.
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