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Lin A, Li J, Hu Y, Zhong M, Yu M, Ma N, Wei T, Luo J, Feng J. Contrasting laboratory and field outcomes of bat-moth interactions. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:5864-5876. [PMID: 37789799 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17150] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Predator-prey interactions are important but difficult to study in the field. Therefore, laboratory studies are often used to examine the outcomes of predator-prey interactions. Previous laboratory studies have shown that moth hearing and ultrasound production can help prey avoid being eaten by bats. We report here that laboratory behavioural outcomes may not accurately reflect the outcomes of field bat-moth interactions. We tested the success rates of two bat species capturing moths with distinct anti-bat tactics using behavioural experiments. We compared the results with the dietary composition of field bats using next-generation DNA sequencing. Rhinolophus episcopus and Rhinolophus osgoodi had a lower rate of capture success when hunting for moths that produce anti-bat clicks than for silent eared moths and earless moths. Unexpectedly, the success rates of the bats capturing silent eared moths and earless moths did not differ significantly from each other. However, the field bats had a higher proportion of silent eared moths than that of earless moths and that of clicking moths in their diets. The difference between the proportions of silent eared moths and earless moths in the bat diets can be explained by the difference between their abundance in bat foraging habitats. These findings suggest that moth defensive tactics, bat countertactics and moth availability collectively shape the diets of insectivorous bats. This study illustrates the importance of using a combination of behavioural experiments and molecular genetic techniques to reveal the complex interactions between predators and prey in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiqing Lin
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiqian Li
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Yinli Hu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Maojun Zhong
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Minglun Yu
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
| | - Nina Ma
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tingting Wei
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jinhong Luo
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiang Feng
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China
- Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China
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Knight K. Fast-fire moths are better jammers, but bats can outsmart them. J Exp Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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