Adult Prey Neutralizes Predator Nonconsumptive Limitation of Prey Recruitment

Ellrich, Julius A.; Scrosati, Ricardo A.; Romoth, Katharina; Molis, Markus

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0154572

Cited by 20 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…, Ellrich et al. ), we removed all adult barnacles from 40 cm × 40 cm areas around the center of each cage. To exclude influences of fucoid canopies such as mucus release (Johnson and Strathmann ), water flow barriers at high tide (Jenkins et al.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, settling v www.esajournals.org ELLRiCH AND SCROSATi cyprids and recruits of barnacles in the central compartment were exposed to dogwhelk cues but not to physical contact with these predators. To exclude cyprid attraction by nearby adult barnacles (Chabot and Bourget 1988, Bertness et al 1992, Ellrich et al 2016b, we removed all adult barnacles from 40 cm × 40 cm areas around the center of each cage. To exclude influences of fucoid canopies such as mucus release (Johnson and Strathmann 1989), water flow barriers at high tide (Jenkins et al 1999), and thermal and humidifying effects at low tide (Beermann et al 2013), we removed canopies near the cages.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Water motion modulates predator nonconsumptive limitation of prey recruitment

Ellrich

Scrosati

2016

Ecosphere

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Citation: Ellrich, J. A., and R. A. Scrosati. 2016. Water motion modulates predator nonconsumptive limitation of prey recruitment. Ecosphere 7(7):e01402. 10.1002/ecs2.1402Abstract. Predator chemical cues can elicit behavioral changes in prey to minimize predation risk. Recent field studies have shown that such predator nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) can ultimately affect prey demography. The environment is known to modulate predator consumptive effects on prey demography, but the environmental modulation of predator NCEs on prey demography remains unstudied. We investigated this knowledge gap using an intertidal predator-prey system. Dogwhelk (Nucella lapillus) chemical cues can limit barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides) recruitment by limiting larval settlement. As waves disperse chemicals in coastal environments, we experimentally tested the hypothesis that wave exposure limits dogwhelk NCEs on barnacle recruitment. Shortly before the barnacle recruitment season of 2013 (May-June), we established cages in rocky intertidal habitats in Atlantic Canada under two levels of wave exposure. The cages were used to manipulate the presence and absence of dogwhelks. At the center of each cage, we installed a tile where barnacle pelagic larvae could settle and develop into recruits. Mesh prevented caged dogwhelks from accessing the tiles, but allowed their waterborne cues to reach the tiles. Data collected at the end of the recruitment season indicated that dogwhelk cues limited barnacle recruitment in wave-sheltered habitats but had no effect on recruitment in wave-exposed habitats. These findings suggest that predicting predator NCEs on prey demography may require environmental information related to the ability of prey to locate predators.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water motion modulates predator nonconsumptive limitation of prey recruitment

Ellrich

Scrosati

2016

Ecosphere

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“…We also point out that recent field experiments that measured barnacle recruitment in Nova Scotia (Ellrich et al. , b, , b, Ellrich and Scrosati ) also used tiles covered by a rugose tape, but that tape (Permastik self‐adhesive anti‐skid safety tread, RCR International, Boucherville, Quebec, Canada) has a sandpaper texture and yielded similar recruitment values as the adjacent rock.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Benthic–pelagic coupling and bottom‐up forcing in rocky intertidal communities along the Atlantic Canadian coast

Scrosati

Ellrich

2018

Ecosphere

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Benthic species from rocky intertidal systems are irregularly distributed along marine coastlines. Nearshore pelagic conditions often help to explain such variation, but most such studies have been done on eastern ocean boundary coasts. We investigated possible benthic–pelagic coupling along the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, a western ocean boundary coast. In 2014, we surveyed high‐intertidal habitats from nine wave‐exposed bedrock locations spanning 415 km of coastline. At each location in the spring, we measured the recruitment of barnacles and mussels, the two main filter‐feeders. Recruitment varied irregularly along the coast. Satellite data on coastal phytoplankton and particulate organic carbon (food for intertidal filter‐feeders and their pelagic larvae) and in‐situ data on sea surface temperature explained, to varying degrees, the geographic structure of recruitment. In turn, the summer abundance of barnacles and mussels was positively related to their spring recruitment. Ultimately, intertidal predator (dogwhelk) abundance was positively related to the recruitment and/or abundance of barnacles and mussels (the main prey of dogwhelks). Sea ice may also have influenced this predator–prey interaction. Drift ice leaving the Gulf of St. Lawrence in late winter strongly disturbed the northern surveyed locations, making barnacles (through high spring recruitment) the only food source for dogwhelks (which survived ice scour in crevices) in such places. Overall, this study supports the occurrence of benthic–pelagic coupling and bottom‐up forcing on this coast. Investigating the oceanographic drivers of pelagic food supply and seawater temperature should help to further understand how this large metacommunity is organized.

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“…For example, barnacles cannot change their location once recruited on the substrate. In a field experiment conducted in 2012‐2013 in the same habitats where we conducted this study and using the same cages and dogwhelk density, cues from Nucella lapillus were found to limit barnacle ( Semibalanus balanoides ) recruitment by 50% (Ellrich et al ., ). Like barnacles, mussels are sessile organisms, but mussels can relocate across the substrate throughout their benthic existence (Bayne, ; Hunt & Scheibling, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nonconsumptive predator effects on prey demography: dogwhelk cues decrease benthic mussel recruitment

2018

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Predators often have nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) on prey behaviour, but the demographic consequences for prey remain poorly known. This is important to understand because demography influences the functional role of a species in its community. We used an intertidal predator–prey system to investigate predator NCEs on prey recruitment, a key demographic process for population persistence. Pelagic mussel larvae are known to avoid waterborne cues from dogwhelks, which prey on intertidal mussels. Through a field experiment done in Atlantic Canada, we manipulated the presence of dogwhelks in intertidal habitats during the mussel (Mytilus spp.) recruitment season. We measured mussel recruitment in collectors that could be reached by waterborne dogwhelk cues but not by dogwhelks themselves. We found that the nearby presence of dogwhelks significantly decreased mussel recruit density. A previous study done in the same habitats under the same experimental conditions showed that dogwhelk cues also limit the recruitment of barnacles, another prey item for dogwhelks. However, such NCEs were stronger than those observed for mussel recruitment, possibly because mussels have more opportunities to escape predation during their benthic existence. Thus, basic features of natural history might be useful to predict the intensity of predator NCEs on prey recruitment.

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Adult Prey Neutralizes Predator Nonconsumptive Limitation of Prey Recruitment

Cited by 20 publications

References 66 publications

Water motion modulates predator nonconsumptive limitation of prey recruitment

Water motion modulates predator nonconsumptive limitation of prey recruitment

Benthic–pelagic coupling and bottom‐up forcing in rocky intertidal communities along the Atlantic Canadian coast

Nonconsumptive predator effects on prey demography: dogwhelk cues decrease benthic mussel recruitment

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