A Framework for Understanding Ecological Traps and an Evaluation of Existing Evidence

Abstract

When an animal settles preferentially in a habitat within which it does poorly relative to other available habitats, it is said to have been caught in an "ecological trap." Although the theoretical possibility that animals may be so trapped is widely recognized, the absence of a clear mechanistic understanding of what constitutes a trap means that much of the literature cited as support for the idea may be weak, at best. Here, we develop a conceptual model to explain how an ecological trap might work, outline the specific criteria that are necessary for demonstrating the existence of an ecological trap, and provide tools for researchers to use in detecting ecological traps. We then review the existing literature and summarize the state of empirical evidence for the existence of traps. Our conceptual model suggests that there are two basic kinds of ecological traps and three mechanisms by which traps may be created. To this point in time, there are still only a few solid empirical examples of ecological traps in the published literature (although those few examples suggest that both types of traps and all three of the predicted mechanisms do exist in nature). Therefore, ecological traps are either rare in nature, are difficult to detect, or both. An improved library of empirical studies will be essential if we are to develop a more synthetic understanding of the mechanisms that can trigger maladaptive behavior in general and the specific conditions under which ecological traps might occur.

Aggregations of wild Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus L.) at Mediterranean offshore fish farm sites: Environmental and management considerations

“…Ecological traps may form when artificial habitats that have ecological cues which wild animals recognize in preferred habitats, are introduced into natural settings (Battin, 2004;Hallier and Gaertner, 2008). Typically, the existence of an ecological trap has been thought of as requiring negative behavioural or physiological effects that reduce the survival or reproductive capacity of a population (Battin, 2004;Robertson and Hutto, 2006), and lead to significant changes in migratory direction and displacement rates (Hallier and Gaertner, 2008). Therefore, such observations support our hypothesis that Mediterranean fish farms may act not only as a superstimulus, misleading farm-aggregated ABT into making inappropriate habitat selection, but also serve as ecological traps (Dempster et al, 2009).…”

How can Asphalt Roads Extend the Range of In Situ Polarized Light Pollution? A Complex Ecological Trap of Ephemera danica and a Possible Remedy

“…Observations of striking insect devastations around such objects and artificial surfaces had an important role in the scientific recognition of ecological traps (Horváth and Zeil 1996;Kokko and Sutherland 2001;Schlaepfer et al 2002;Wildermuth and Horváth 2005;Robertson and Hutto 2006). Ecological traps are behavioral phenomena where individuals of a population follow an earlier adaptive behavioral pattern after a rapid environmental change and choose inappropriate habitats leading to the reduction or extinction of the population (Hale and Swearer 2016).…”

Social cues are preferred over resource cues for breeding-site selection in Barn Swallows

“…Additionally, although these factors and their interactions vary spatially and temporally, only a few studies have simultaneously assessed resource factors and social factors (but see Müller et al 2005;Betts et al 2008a). Most studies have used individual density as an indicator of habitat preference without obtaining direct estimates of habitat preference (Robertson and Hutto 2006). However, when habitat preference is assessed using the density of individuals alone, the actual effect of predation risk cannot be determined (Chalfoun and Martin 2007).…”