1
|
Silva MP, Oliveira C, Prieto R, Silva MA, New L, Pérez‐Jorge S. Bioenergetic modelling of a marine top predator's responses to changes in prey structure. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11135. [PMID: 38529024 PMCID: PMC10961477 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Determining how animals allocate energy, and how external factors influence this allocation, is crucial to understand species' life history requirements and response to disturbance. This response is driven in part by individuals' energy balance, prey characteristics, foraging behaviour and energy required for essential functions. We developed a bioenergetic model to estimate minimum foraging success rate (FSR), that is, the lowest possible prey capture rate for individuals to obtain the minimum energy intake needed to meet daily metabolic requirements, for female sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). The model was based on whales' theoretical energetic requirements using foraging and prey characteristics from animal-borne tags and stomach contents, respectively. We used this model to simulate two prey structure change scenarios: (1) decrease in mean prey size, thus lower prey energy content and (2) decrease in prey size variability, reducing the variability in prey energy content. We estimate the whales need minimum of ~14% FSR to meet their energetic requirements, and energy intake is more sensitive to energy content changes than a decrease in energy variability. To estimate vulnerability to prey structure changes, we evaluated the compensation level required to meet bioenergetic demands. Considering a minimum 14% FSR, whales would need to increase energy intake by 21% (5-35%) and 49% (27-67%) to compensate for a 15% and 30% decrease in energy content, respectively. For a 30% and 50% decrease in energy variability, whales would need to increase energy intake by 13% (0-23%) and 24% (10-35%) to meet energetic demands, respectively. Our model demonstrates how foraging and prey characteristics can be used to estimate impact of changing prey structure in top predator energetics, which can help inform bottom-up effects on marine ecosystems. We showed the importance of considering different FSR in bioenergetics models, as it can have decisive implications on estimates of energy acquired and affect the conclusions about top predator's vulnerability to possible environmental fluctuations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariana P. Silva
- Institute of Marine Sciences – OKEANOSUniversity of the AzoresHortaPortugal
- Institute of Marine Research – IMARHortaPortugal
| | - Cláudia Oliveira
- Institute of Marine Sciences – OKEANOSUniversity of the AzoresHortaPortugal
- Institute of Marine Research – IMARHortaPortugal
| | - Rui Prieto
- Institute of Marine Sciences – OKEANOSUniversity of the AzoresHortaPortugal
- Institute of Marine Research – IMARHortaPortugal
| | - Mónica A. Silva
- Institute of Marine Sciences – OKEANOSUniversity of the AzoresHortaPortugal
- Institute of Marine Research – IMARHortaPortugal
| | - Leslie New
- Department of Mathematics and Computer ScienceUrsinus CollegeCollegevillePennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Sergi Pérez‐Jorge
- Institute of Marine Sciences – OKEANOSUniversity of the AzoresHortaPortugal
- Institute of Marine Research – IMARHortaPortugal
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
van den Berg SJP, Rodríguez-Sánchez P, Zhao J, Olusoiji OD, Peeters ETHM, Schuijt LM. Among-individual variation in the swimming behaviour of the amphipod Gammarus pulex under dark and light conditions. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 872:162177. [PMID: 36775145 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, considerable computational advancements have been made allowing automated analysis of behavioural endpoints using video cameras. However, the results of such analyses are often confounded by a large variation among individuals, making it problematic to derive endpoints that allow distinguishing treatment effects in behavioural studies. In this study, we quantitatively analysed the effects of light conditions on the swimming behaviour of the freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex by high-throughput tracking, and attempted to unravel among individual variation using size and sex. For this, we developed the R-package Kinematics, allowing for the rapid and reproducible analysis of the swimming behaviour (speed, acceleration, thigmotaxis, curvature and startle response) of G. pulex, as well as any other organism. Our results show a considerable amount of variation among individuals (standard deviation ranging between 5 and 115 % of the average swimming behaviour). The factors size and sex and the interaction between the two only explained a minor part of this found variation. Additionally, our study is the first to quantify the startle response in G. pulex after the light is switched on, and study the variability of this response between individuals. To analyse this startle response, we established two metrics: 1) startle response magnitude (the drop in swimming velocity directly after the light switches on), and 2) startle response duration (the time it takes to recover from the drop in swimming velocity to average swimming speed). Almost 80 % of the individuals showed a clear startle response and, therefore, these metrics demonstrate a great potential for usage in behavioural studies. The findings of this study are important for the development of appropriate experimental set-ups for behavioural experiments with G. pulex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sanne J P van den Berg
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands; Wageningen Environmental Research, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Jiayu Zhao
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Edwin T H M Peeters
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lara M Schuijt
- Aquatic Ecology and Water Quality Management group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Paterson JT, Proffitt KM, DeCesare NJ, Gude JA, Hebblewhite M. Evaluating the summer landscapes of predation risk and forage quality for elk ( Cervus canadensis). Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9201. [PMID: 35979523 PMCID: PMC9366754 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The recovery of carnivore populations in North American has consequences for trophic interactions and population dynamics of prey. In addition to direct effects on prey populations through killing, predators can influence prey behavior by imposing the risk of predation. The mechanisms through which patterns of space use by predators are linked to behavioral response by prey and nonconsumptive effects on prey population dynamics are poorly understood. Our goal was to characterize population‐ and individual‐level patterns of resource selection by elk (Cervus canadensis) in response to risk of wolves (Canis lupus) and mountain lions (Puma concolor) and evaluate potential nonconsumptive effects of these behavioral patterns. We tested the hypothesis that individual elk risk‐avoidance behavior during summer would result in exposure to lower‐quality forage and reduced body fat and pregnancy rates. First, we evaluated individuals' second‐order and third‐order resource selection with a used‐available sampling design. At the population level, we found evidence for a positive relationship between second‐ and third‐order selection and forage, and an interaction between forage quality and mountain lion risk such that the relative probability of use at low mountain lion risk increased with forage quality but decreased at high risk at both orders of selection. We found no evidence of a population‐level trade‐off between forage quality and wolf risk. However, we found substantial among‐individual heterogeneity in resource selection patterns such that population‐level patterns were potentially misleading. We found no evidence that the diversity of individual resource selection patterns varied predictably with available resources, or that patterns of individual risk‐related resource selection translated into biologically meaningful changes in body fat or pregnancy rates. Our work highlights the importance of evaluating individual responses to predation risk and predator hunting technique when assessing responses to predators and suggests nonconsumptive effects are not operating at a population scale in this system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Mark Hebblewhite
- Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences University of Montana Missoula Montana USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Gobin J, Hossie TJ, Derbyshire RE, Sonnega S, Cambridge TW, Scholl L, Kloch ND, Scully A, Thalen K, Smith G, Scott C, Quinby F, Reynolds J, Miller HA, Faithfull H, Lucas O, Dennison C, McDonald J, Boutin S, O’Donoghue M, Krebs CJ, Boonstra R, Murray DL. Functional Responses Shape Node and Network Level Properties of a Simplified Boreal Food Web. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.898805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological communities are fundamentally connected through a network of trophic interactions that are often complex and difficult to model. Substantial variation exists in the nature and magnitude of these interactions across various predators and prey and through time. However, the empirical data needed to characterize these relationships are difficult to obtain in natural systems, even for relatively simple food webs. Consequently, prey-dependent relationships and specifically the hyperbolic form (Holling’s Type II), in which prey consumption increases with prey density but ultimately becomes saturated or limited by the time spent handling prey, are most widely used albeit often without knowledge of their appropriateness. Here, we investigate the sensitivity of a simplified food web model for a natural, boreal system in the Kluane region of the Yukon, Canada to the type of functional response used. Intensive study of this community has permitted best-fit functional response relationships to be determined, which comprise linear (type I), hyperbolic (type II), sigmoidal (type III), prey- and ratio-dependent relationships, and inverse relationships where kill rates of alternate prey are driven by densities of the focal prey. We compare node- and network-level properties for a food web where interaction strengths are estimated using best-fit functional responses to one where interaction strengths are estimated exclusively using prey-dependent hyperbolic functional responses. We show that hyperbolic functional responses alone fail to capture important ecological interactions such as prey switching, surplus killing and caching, and predator interference, that in turn affect estimates of cumulative kill rates, vulnerability of prey, generality of predators, and connectance. Exclusive use of hyperbolic functional responses also affected trends observed in these metrics over time and underestimated annual variation in several metrics, which is important given that interaction strengths are typically estimated over relatively short time periods. Our findings highlight the need for more comprehensive research aimed at characterizing functional response relationships when modeling predator-prey interactions and food web structure and function, as we work toward a mechanistic understanding linking food web structure and community dynamics in natural systems.
Collapse
|
5
|
Luo D, Ye M, Yang D. Predator-Prey Interactions between Nonnative Juvenile Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides) and Local Candidate Prey Species in the Pearl River Delta: Predation Capacity, Preference and Growth Performance. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12020295. [PMID: 35207582 PMCID: PMC8879666 DOI: 10.3390/life12020295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
An ontogenetic dietary shift is crucial for the survival and growth of piscivorous largemouth bass (LB). However, there is much to learn about the predator-prey interaction during the switching process. We carried out a series of indoor experiments to examine the predation capacity, predation preference, and growth performance of exotic juvenile LB feeding on candidate prey species in the Pearl River Delta. The widely distributed oriental river prawn (Macrobranchium nipponense), barcheek goby (Ctenogobius giurinus), western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), and mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella), with relatively similar total lengths, were selected as potential prey based on their availability and habitat use. Our results show that predation capacity and preference varied quantitatively and qualitatively among prey species. The number of oriental river prawns killed was significantly less than that of fish species, comparing the 1st hour with the 24th hour (p < 0.01). The feeding rhythm of LB varied significantly from crayfish to fish. Numerically, Jacobs’ selection index reinforced LB’s special preference for predating G. affinis. Although there were obvious variations in predation capacity and feed selection, no statistically significant growth differences were detected among LB groups feeding on live M. nipponense, G. affinis, H. molitrix, and C. molitorella (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the successful ontogenetic dietary shift of juvenile LB may depend on the availability and vulnerability of local fish species. Further study on the reproductive phenology of potential fish prey may help to predict LB’s establishment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Du Luo
- Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou 510380, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Ocean Remote Sensing, State Key Laboratory of Oceanography in the Tropics, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
- Correspondence: (D.L.); (D.Y.)
| | - Minghao Ye
- College of Marine Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China;
| | - Dingtian Yang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Ocean Remote Sensing, State Key Laboratory of Oceanography in the Tropics, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
- Correspondence: (D.L.); (D.Y.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bruzzone OA, Aguirre MB, Hill JG, Virla EG, Logarzo G. Revisiting the influence of learning in predator functional response, how it can lead to shapes different from type III. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8593. [PMID: 35222965 PMCID: PMC8844134 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Octavio Augusto Bruzzone
- Instituto de Investigaciones Forestales y Agropecuarias Bariloche INTA and CONICET Bariloche Argentina
| | - María Belén Aguirre
- Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas (FuEDEI) Hurlingham Argentina
- CONICETCiudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - Jorge Guillermo Hill
- Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, San Miguel de Tucumán Tucumán Argentina
| | - Eduardo Gabriel Virla
- Instituto de Entomología Fundación Miguel Lillo PROIMI‐BiotecnologíaCONICETSan Miguel de Tucumán Tucumán Argentina
| | - Guillermo Logarzo
- Fundación para el Estudio de Especies Invasivas (FuEDEI) Hurlingham Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zamberletti P, Sabir K, Opitz T, Bonnefon O, Gabriel E, Papaïx J. More pests but less pesticide applications: Ambivalent effect of landscape complexity on conservation biological control. PLoS Comput Biol 2021; 17:e1009559. [PMID: 34748536 PMCID: PMC8601610 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In agricultural landscapes, the amount and organization of crops and semi-natural habitats (SNH) have the potential to promote a bundle of ecosystem services due to their influence on ecological community at multiple spatio-temporal scales. SNH are relatively undisturbed and are often source of complementary resources and refuges, therefore supporting more diverse and abundant natural pest enemies. However, the nexus of SNH proportion and organization with pest suppression is not trivial. It is thus crucial to understand how the behavior of pest and natural enemy species, the underlying landscape structure, and their interaction, may influence conservation biological control (CBC). Here, we develop a generative stochastic landscape model to simulate realistic agricultural landscape compositions and configurations of fields and linear elements. Generated landscapes are used as spatial support over which we simulate a spatially explicit predator-prey dynamic model. We find that increased SNH presence boosts predator populations by sustaining high predator density that regulates and keeps pest density below the pesticide application threshold. However, predator presence over all the landscape helps to stabilize the pest population by keeping it under this threshold, which tends to increase pest density at the landscape scale. In addition, the joint effect of SNH presence and predator dispersal ability among hedge and field interface results in a stronger pest regulation, which also limits pest growth. Considering properties of both fields and linear elements, such as local structure and geometric features, provides deeper insights for pest regulation; for example, hedge presence at crop field boundaries clearly strengthens CBC. Our results highlight that the integration of species behaviors and traits with landscape structure at multiple scales is necessary to provide useful insights for CBC. In the agricultural context, the loss of semi-natural surfaces often results in high pest abundance requiring elevated pesticide loads. Habitat heterogeneity resulting from the agricultural intermixing of arable fields and semi-natural areas is key to allow organism fluxes across agro-ecological interfaces by influencing ecological processes. Semi-natural habitats (SNH) are often restricted to linear structures, such as hedgerows, but they play an important role by hosting a large number of species. However, the effect of hedgerows is controversial, as it could result in a positive, ineffective or negative effect for CBC. Usually, the impacts of landscape structure on pest population dynamics and resulting CBC are assessed through field experiments with a specific focus, which cannot be generalized, lack flexibility and are limited by the need to manipulate relatively large landscapes. Here, we tackle the challenge to investigate the controversial role of semi-natural habitats for CBC by presenting a simulation-based approach, which allows us to characterize the joint influence of landscape structure and species traits on CBC service. Our study corroborates that spatial heterogeneity, species traits and their interactions are fundamental for CBC. We show that hedge presence alone is not sufficient to lead to strong pest reduction, but hedge-based predators help to maintain the pest density under the pesticide threshold. Instead, SNH presence coupled with appropriate predator traits leads to stronger decrease of pest population. Moreover, we highlight an important scaling effect of SNH, which at the local scale has an even more important impact on CBC as local properties are considered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Khadija Sabir
- Institute of Horticultural Production Systems, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Opitz
- INRAE Biostatistique et Processus Spatiaux, INRA-PACA, Avignon, France
| | - Olivier Bonnefon
- INRAE Biostatistique et Processus Spatiaux, INRA-PACA, Avignon, France
| | - Edith Gabriel
- INRAE Biostatistique et Processus Spatiaux, INRA-PACA, Avignon, France
| | - Julien Papaïx
- INRAE Biostatistique et Processus Spatiaux, INRA-PACA, Avignon, France
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Studd EK, Derbyshire RE, Menzies AK, Simms JF, Humphries MM, Murray DL, Boutin S. The Purr‐fect Catch: Using accelerometers and audio recorders to document kill rates and hunting behaviour of a small prey specialist. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Emily K. Studd
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Sainte‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QC Canada
| | | | - Allyson K. Menzies
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Sainte‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QC Canada
| | | | - Murray M. Humphries
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Sainte‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QC Canada
| | | | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AB Canada
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Janczarek I, Wiśniewska A, Chruszczewski MH, Tkaczyk E, Górecka-Bruzda A. Social Behaviour of Horses in Response to Vocalisations of Predators. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:E2331. [PMID: 33302443 PMCID: PMC7764477 DOI: 10.3390/ani10122331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that social defensive responses to the vocalisation of a predator still exist in horses. The recordings of a grey wolf, an Arabian leopard and a golden jackal were played to 20 Konik polski and Arabian mares. Durations of grazing, standing still, standing alert and the number of steps in walk and trot/canter were measured. In one-minute scans, the distances of the focal horse from the reference horse (DIST-RH) and from the nearest loudspeaker (DIST-LS) were approximated. The vocalisation of a leopard aroused the Arabians more than the Koniks (less grazing, stand-still and walk, more stand-alert and trotting/cantering). Koniks showed more relaxed behaviours to the leopard vocalisation (more grazing, stand-still and walk), but high alertness to the wolf playback (stand-alert, trotting/cantering). Spatial formation of the herd of Koniks showed tight grouping (lower DIST-RH) and maintaining distance from the potential threat (DIST-LS) in response to the wolf howling, while the Arabians approached the loudspeakers in linear herd formation when the leopard growls were played. Adult horses responded to potential predation by changing spatial group formations. This ability to apply a social strategy may be one of the explanations for the least number of horses among all hunted farm animal species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iwona Janczarek
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; (I.J.); (A.W.); (E.T.)
| | - Anna Wiśniewska
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; (I.J.); (A.W.); (E.T.)
| | | | - Ewelina Tkaczyk
- Department of Horse Breeding and Use, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; (I.J.); (A.W.); (E.T.)
| | - Aleksandra Górecka-Bruzda
- Department of Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzębiec, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Sommer NR, Schmitz OJ. Differences in prey personality mediate trophic cascades. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:9538-9551. [PMID: 32953082 PMCID: PMC7487229 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2020] [Revised: 06/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional trait approaches in ecology chiefly assume the mean trait value of a population adequately predicts the outcome of species interactions. Yet this assumption ignores substantial trait variation among individuals within a population, which can have a profound effect on community structure and function. We explored individual trait variation through the lens of animal personality to test whether among-individual variation in prey behavior mediates trophic interactions. We quantified the structure of personalities within a population of generalist grasshoppers and examined, through a number of field and laboratory-based experiments, how personality types could impact tri-trophic interactions in a food chain. Unlike other studies of this nature, we used spatial habitat domains to evaluate how personality types mechanistically map to behaviors relevant in predator-prey dynamics and found shy and bold individuals differed in both their habitat use and foraging strategy under predation risk by a sit-and-wait spider predator. In the field-based mesocosm portion of our study, we found experimental populations of personality types differed in their trophic impact, demonstrating that prey personality can mediate trophic cascades. We found no differences in respiration rates or body size between personality types used in the mesocosm experiment, indicating relative differences in trophic impact were not due to variation in prey physiology but rather variation in behavioral strategies. Our work demonstrates how embracing the complexity of individual trait variation can offer mechanistically richer understanding of the processes underlying trophic interactions.
Collapse
|
11
|
Berardo C, Geritz S, Gyllenberg M, Raoul G. Interactions between different predator-prey states: a method for the derivation of the functional and numerical response. J Math Biol 2020; 80:2431-2468. [PMID: 32419034 PMCID: PMC7250814 DOI: 10.1007/s00285-020-01500-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In this paper we introduce a formal method for the derivation of a predator's functional response from a system of fast state transitions of the prey or predator on a time scale during which the total prey and predator densities remain constant. Such derivation permits an explicit interpretation of the structure and parameters of the functional response in terms of individual behaviour. The same method is also used here to derive the corresponding numerical response of the predator as well as of the prey.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Berardo
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Stefan Geritz
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mats Gyllenberg
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Gaël Raoul
- Centre de Mathématiques Appliquées, École Polytechnique, 91128, Palaiseau Cedex, France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Santamaría S, Enoksen CA, Olesen JM, Tavecchia G, Rotger A, Igual JM, Traveset A. Diet composition of the lizard Podarcis lilfordi (Lacertidae) on 2 small islands: an individual-resource network approach. Curr Zool 2019; 66:39-49. [PMID: 32467703 PMCID: PMC7245015 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoz028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite it is widely accepted that intrapopulation variation is fundamental to ecological and evolutionary processes, this level of information has only recently been included into network analysis of species/population interactions. When done, it has revealed non-random patterns in the distribution of trophic resources. Nestedness in resource use among individuals is the most recurrent observed pattern, often accompanied by an absence of modularity, but no previous studies examine bipartite modularity. We use network analysis to describe the diet composition of the Balearic endemic lizard Podarcis lilfordi in 2 islets at population and individual levels, based on the occurrence of food items in fecal samples. Our objectives are to 1) compare niche structure at both levels, 2) characterize niche partition using nestedness and modularity, and 3) assess how size, sex, season, and spatial location influence niche structure. At population-level niche width was wide, but narrow at the level of the individual. Both islet networks were nested, indicating similar ranking of the food preferences among individuals, but also modular, which was partially explained by seasonality. Sex and body size did not notably affect diet composition. Large niche overlap and therefore possibly relaxed competition were observed among females in one of the islets and during spring on both islets. Likewise, higher modularity in autumn suggests that higher competition could lead to specialization in both populations, because resources are usually scarce in this season. The absence of spatial location influence on niche might respond to fine-grained spatio-temporally distribution of food resources. Behavioral traits, not included in this study, could also influence resource partitioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Santamaría
- Global Change Research Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, E07190 Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
| | - Camilla Aviaaja Enoksen
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| | - Jens M Olesen
- Section for Ecoinformatics & Biodiversity, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, 8000, Denmark
| | - Giacomo Tavecchia
- Animal Ecology and Demography Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, E07190, Spain
| | - Andreu Rotger
- Animal Ecology and Demography Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, E07190, Spain
| | - José Manuel Igual
- Animal Ecology and Demography Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, E07190, Spain
| | - Anna Traveset
- Global Change Research Group, Inst. Mediterrani d'Estudis Avançats (CSIC-UIB), C/Miquel Marquès 21, E07190 Esporles, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Billiard S, Bansaye V, Chazottes JR. Rejuvenating functional responses with renewal theory. J R Soc Interface 2018; 15:rsif.2018.0239. [PMID: 30185541 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional responses are widely used to describe interactions and resource exchange between individuals in ecology. The form given to functional responses dramatically affects the dynamics and stability of populations and communities. Despite their importance, functional responses are generally considered with a phenomenological approach, without clear mechanistic justifications from individual traits and behaviours. Here, we develop a bottom-up stochastic framework grounded in renewal theory that shows how functional responses emerge from the level of the individuals through the decomposition of interactions into different activities. Our framework has many applications for conceptual, theoretical and empirical purposes. First, we show how the mean and variance of classical functional responses are obtained with explicit ecological assumptions, for instance regarding foraging behaviours. Second, we give examples in specific ecological contexts, such as in nuptial-feeding species or size-dependent handling times. Finally, we demonstrate how to analyse data with our framework, especially highlighting that observed variability in the number of interactions can be used to infer parameters and compare functional response models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Billiard
- Université de Lille, CNRS, UMR 8198, Evo-Eco-Paleo, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Vincent Bansaye
- Centre de Mathématiques Appliquées, CNRS UMR 7644, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex, France
| | - J-R Chazottes
- Centre de Physique Théorique, CNRS UMR 7644, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau Cedex, France
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Hamel S, Gaillard JM, Yoccoz NG. Introduction to: Individual heterogeneity - the causes and consequences of a fundamental biological process. OIKOS 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.05222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Hamel
- Dept of Arctic and Marine Biology; UiT The Arctic Univ. of Norway; Tromsø Norway
| | | | - Nigel G. Yoccoz
- Dept of Arctic and Marine Biology; UiT The Arctic Univ. of Norway; Tromsø Norway
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Ousterhout BH, Graham SR, Hasik AZ, Serrano M, Siepielski AM. Past selection impacts the strength of an aquatic trophic cascade. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Savannah R. Graham
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
| | - Adam Z. Hasik
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
| | - Mabel Serrano
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
| | - Adam M. Siepielski
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Arkansas Fayetteville AR USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Griffiths JI, Petchey OL, Pennekamp F, Childs DZ. Linking intraspecific trait variation to community abundance dynamics improves ecological predictability by revealing a growth–defence trade‐off. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jason I. Griffiths
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Owen L. Petchey
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Frank Pennekamp
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental StudiesUniversity of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Dylan Z. Childs
- Department of Animal and Plant SciencesUniversity of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Schmitz O. Predator and prey functional traits: understanding the adaptive machinery driving predator-prey interactions. F1000Res 2017; 6:1767. [PMID: 29043073 PMCID: PMC5621104 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.11813.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Predator–prey relationships are a central component of community dynamics. Classic approaches have tried to understand and predict these relationships in terms of consumptive interactions between predator and prey species, but characterizing the interaction this way is insufficient to predict the complexity and context dependency inherent in predator–prey relationships. Recent approaches have begun to explore predator–prey relationships in terms of an evolutionary-ecological game in which predator and prey adapt to each other through reciprocal interactions involving context-dependent expression of functional traits that influence their biomechanics. Functional traits are defined as any morphological, behavioral, or physiological trait of an organism associated with a biotic interaction. Such traits include predator and prey body size, predator and prey personality, predator hunting mode, prey mobility, prey anti-predator behavior, and prey physiological stress. Here, I discuss recent advances in this functional trait approach. Evidence shows that the nature and strength of many interactions are dependent upon the relative magnitude of predator and prey functional traits. Moreover, trait responses can be triggered by non-consumptive predator–prey interactions elicited by responses of prey to risk of predation. These interactions in turn can have dynamic feedbacks that can change the context of the predator–prey interaction, causing predator and prey to adapt their traits—through phenotypically plastic or rapid evolutionary responses—and the nature of their interaction. Research shows that examining predator–prey interactions through the lens of an adaptive evolutionary-ecological game offers a foundation to explain variety in the nature and strength of predator–prey interactions observed in different ecological contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oswald Schmitz
- School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 370 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT, 06515, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Zwolak R. How intraspecific variation in seed-dispersing animals matters for plants. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2017; 93:897-913. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2017] [Revised: 09/13/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Zwolak
- Department of Systematic Zoology, Faculty of Biology; Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89; 61-614 Poznań Poland
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Massot M, Legendre S, Fédérici P, Clobert J. Climate warming: a loss of variation in populations can accompany reproductive shifts. Ecol Lett 2017; 20:1140-1147. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.12811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Revised: 04/30/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Massot
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; CNRS; Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris (iEES Paris); F-75005 Paris France
| | - Stéphane Legendre
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS); CNRS; INSERM; Ecole Normale Supérieure; PSL Research University; F-75005 Paris France
| | - Pierre Fédérici
- Sorbonne Universités; UPMC Univ Paris 06; CNRS; Institut d'Ecologie et des Sciences de l'Environnement de Paris (iEES Paris); F-75005 Paris France
| | - Jean Clobert
- Station d'Ecologie Expérimentale; CNRS; USR 2936; F-09200 Moulis France
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Niemelä PT, Dingemanse NJ. Individual versus pseudo-repeatability in behaviour: Lessons from translocation experiments in a wild insect. J Anim Ecol 2017; 86:1033-1043. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Petri T. Niemelä
- Behavioural Ecology; Department of Biology; Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich; Planegg-Martinsried Germany
| | - Niels J. Dingemanse
- Behavioural Ecology; Department of Biology; Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich; Planegg-Martinsried Germany
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Swan GJF, Redpath SM, Bearhop S, McDonald RA. Ecology of Problem Individuals and the Efficacy of Selective Wildlife Management. Trends Ecol Evol 2017; 32:518-530. [PMID: 28529028 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2017.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
As a result of ecological and social drivers, the management of problems caused by wildlife is becoming more selective, often targeting specific animals. Narrowing the sights of management relies upon the ecology of certain 'problem individuals' and their disproportionate contribution to impacts upon human interests. We assess the ecological evidence for problem individuals and confirm that some individuals or classes can be both disproportionately responsible and more likely to reoffend. The benefits of management can sometimes be short-lived, and selective management can affect tolerance of wildlife for better or worse, but, when effectively targeted, selective management can bring benefits by mitigating impact and conflict, often in a more socially acceptable way.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George J F Swan
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK; Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Steve M Redpath
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK; Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, Grimso Wildlife Research Station, 730 91 Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK
| | - Robbie A McDonald
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn TR10 9EZ, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Elbroch LM, Feltner J, Quigley HB. Stage-dependent puma predation on dangerous prey. J Zool (1987) 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - J. Feltner
- Wildlife Biology Program; University of Montana; Missoula MT USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Schmitz OJ, Trussell GC. Multiple stressors, state-dependence and predation risk — foraging trade-offs: toward a modern concept of trait-mediated indirect effects in communities and ecosystems. Curr Opin Behav Sci 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobeha.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
|
24
|
Schröder A, Kalinkat G, Arlinghaus R. Individual variation in functional response parameters is explained by body size but not by behavioural types in a poeciliid fish. Oecologia 2016; 182:1129-1140. [PMID: 27517878 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3701-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Functional responses are per-capita feeding rate models whose parameters often scale with individual body size but the parameters may also be further influenced by behavioural traits consistently differing among individuals, i.e. behavioural types or animal personalities. Behavioural types may intrinsically lead to lower feeding rates when consistently shy, inactive and easily stressed individuals cannot identify or respond to risk-free environments or need less food due to lower metabolic rates linked to behaviour. To test how much variation in functional response parameters is explained by body size and how much by behavioural types, we estimated attack rate and handling time individually for differently sized female least killifish (Heterandria formosa) and repeatedly measured behavioural traits for each individual. We found that individual fish varied substantially in their attack rate and in their handling time. Behavioural traits were stable over time and varied consistently among individuals along two distinct personality axes. The individual variation in functional responses was explained solely by body size, and contrary to our expectations, not additionally by the existing behavioural types in exploration activity and coping style. While behavioural trait-dependent functional responses may offer a route to the understanding of the food web level consequences of behavioural types, our study is so far only the second one on this topic. Importantly, our results indicate in contrast to that previous study that behavioural types do not per se affect individual functional responses assessed in the absence of external biotic stressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arne Schröder
- Department IV: Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Gregor Kalinkat
- Department IV: Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Arlinghaus
- Department IV: Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB), Müggelseedamm 310, 12587, Berlin, Germany.,Division of Integrative Fisheries Management, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße 13, Haus 7, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Elbroch LM, Lendrum PE, Robinson H, Quigley HB. Population- and individual-level prey selection by a solitary predator as determined with two estimates of prey availability. CAN J ZOOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2015-0092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Prey selection is exhibited by predator populations that kill a prey species disproportionate to its availability, or alternatively, individual predators that select prey disproportionate to the mean selection exhibited by their populations. Prey selection is a simple calculation when one can determine prey availability; however, measuring prey availability is challenging. We compared population- and individual-level prey selection as determined with two measures of prey availability for five ungulate species killed by pumas (Puma concolor (L., 1771)) in the Southern Yellowstone Ecosystem, USA: (1) annual prey counts and (2) total prey killed by marked pumas. We also tested whether individual pumas in the population exhibited a narrower dietary niche breadth compared with their population as a whole. The two methods yielded different estimates of prey availability and highlighted the need to consciously match prey availability estimates with appropriate ecological questions. Prey counts may have overestimated elk (Cervus canadensis (Erxleben, 1777)) abundance and underestimated deer abundance, whereas predation data may have better captured the influence of prey size on puma-specific prey vulnerability and availability. Prey counts were the more appropriate metric for analyzing population-level prey selection or differences in interspecific foraging, whereas total prey killed was the more appropriate metric for intraspecific comparisons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L. Mark Elbroch
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
| | - Patrick E. Lendrum
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
| | - Hugh Robinson
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
| | - Howard B. Quigley
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
- Panthera, 8 West 40th Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10018, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
|
27
|
|