Prey risk assessment depends on conspecific density

Buskirk, Josh Van; Ferrari, Manuela; Kueng, Denise; Näpflin, Kathrin; Ritter, Nicole

doi:10.1111/j.1600-0706.2010.19311.x

Cited by 45 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…However, as predicted by the R-AH, prey conspecific density can also affect how prey perceive and assess the actual predation risk to which they are exposed. We found that plasticity in prey behavior is affected by predation risk and that, contrary to a previous study it was not affected by prey conspecific density (Van Buskirk et al 2011). However, we also found that the tadpoles' tail width and tail muscle depth (i.e., a prey morphological traits) were affected by the interaction between predation risk and prey conspecific density, highlighting that prey can indeed estimate population density to evaluate actual levels of predation risk, supporting Peacor's (2003) R-AH.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 56%

“…However, to ensure a constant tadpole v www.esajournals.org per capita food level, we added industrial fish food daily to all mesocosms (10% of tadpole mass) according to Van Buskirk et al (2011). It is important to highlight that this procedure was conducted to minimize intraspecific competition among tadpoles.…”

Section: Experimental Design and Setupmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date, predator-inducible morphological defenses in aquatic organisms have served as excellent model systems for testing predictions about the evolution and maintenance of phenotypic plasticity (Ghalambor et al 2007). However, it has been shown that prey population density (i.e., conspecific density) and its effects on the assessment of predation risk by the prey can be very important for determining the extent to which prey express anti-predator defenses (Roberts 1996, McCoy 2007, Van Buskirk et al 2011. Peacor (2003) has noted that prey need to estimate their own population density to better assess risk, especially if the prey detects the presence of a predator through predation cues.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of the studies that have evaluated the effects of conspecific density on predator-induced responses have aimed to test the role of prey resource competition in limiting phenotypic plasticity (Tejedo andReques 1994, Davenport andChalcraft 2014). Prey should be unable to express predator-induced phenotypes because resources are scarce and impose a physiological limitation on morphological development, a rationale that neglects the principle that conspecific density modifies the prey's perceived risk (McCoy 2007, Van Buskirk et al 2011). In addition, historically, many of the studies addressing the role of predator-induced defenses have examined the effects of conspecific density on a single plastic trait (e.g., activity levels) (Relyea 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conspecific density affects predator‐induced prey phenotypic plasticity

et al. 2015

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Abstract. The risk-assessment hypothesis (R-AH) states that prey must consider conspecific density and not simply the concentration of predation cues to evaluate actual predation risk. However, little is known about whether the R-AH might serve to predict predator-inducible plastic responses involving different prey phenotypes. We approached this question through an experiment in outdoor mesocosms, manipulating predation risk (with caged predators) and prey conspecific density to test the importance of R-AH for the expression of predator-induced morphological and behavioral phenotypes. We found behavioral (swimming activity) and morphological (tail width and tail muscle depth) responses of bullfrog tadpoles (Lithobates catesbeianus) to be affected by chemical predation cues. However, only the morphological phenotype responded to the predation-risk:conspecific-density interaction. The width of the tail and the muscle depth of tadpoles were significantly greater when individuals were exposed to predators. However, this effect was not significant in treatments with high prey density in an experimental setup that minimized intraspecific competition. We interpret the differences found among the responses of the phenotypes in terms of the effects of three factors: the potential costs related to each phenotype expression, how these phenotypes are affected by environmental conditions and the immediate response of the phenotypes to actual and perceived prey risk. Our results shed light on the fact that prey individuals use information about population density to estimate actual predation risk from chemical cues. However, different traits are differentially affected, suggesting that trade-off mechanisms associated with the costs of the expression in terms of anti-predator defenses may interfere with the predictions of R-AH for multiple prey phenotypes.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 56%

Section: Experimental Design and Setupmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Conspecific density affects predator‐induced prey phenotypic plasticity

et al. 2015

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“…Such traitmediated indirect interactions (TMIIs) are facilitated, for example, by predator cues or chemicals from crushed conspecifics (Behrens Yamada et al 1998, van Buskirk & Arioli 2002 and have the potential to induce cascading effects (Werner & Peacor 2003, Schmitz et al 2004. TMIIs are typically changes in prey behaviour, such as a reduced activity, and depend on prey density and the concentration of predator cues (van Buskirk et al 2011). Thus, prey individuals spend less time foraging to reduce their predation risk.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple fish predators: effects of identity, density, and nutrients on lower trophic levels

Reiss

Herriot²,

Eriksson³

2014

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Risk assessment based on indirect predation cues: revisiting fine‐grained variation

McCoy

Wheat

Warkentin

et al. 2015

Ecology and Evolution

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To adaptively express inducible defenses, prey must gauge risk based on indirect cues of predation. However, the information contained in indirect cues that enable prey to fine‐tune their phenotypes to variation in risk is still unclear. In aquatic systems, research has focused on cue concentration as the key variable driving threat‐sensitive responses to risk. However, while risk is measured as individuals killed per time, cue concentration may vary with either the number or biomass killed. Alternatively, fine‐grained variation in cue, that is, frequency of cue pulses irrespective of concentration, may provide a more reliable signal of risk. Here, we present results from laboratory experiments that examine the relationship between red‐eyed treefrog tadpole growth and total cue, cue per pulse, and cue pulse frequency. We also reanalyze an earlier study that examined the effect of fine‐grained variation in predator cues on wood frog tadpole growth. Both studies show growth declines with increasing cue pulse frequency, even though individual pulses in high‐frequency treatments contained very little cue. This result suggests that counter to earlier conclusions, tadpoles are using fine‐grained variation in cue arising from the number of predation events to assess and respond to predation risk, as predicted by consumer–resource theory.

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Prey risk assessment depends on conspecific density

Cited by 45 publications

References 22 publications

Conspecific density affects predator‐induced prey phenotypic plasticity

Conspecific density affects predator‐induced prey phenotypic plasticity

Multiple fish predators: effects of identity, density, and nutrients on lower trophic levels

Risk assessment based on indirect predation cues: revisiting fine‐grained variation

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