scholarly journals Differential effects of structural complexity on predator foraging behavior

2009 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 313-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matt J. Michel ◽  
Melinda M. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Differential Effects ◽  
Predator Foraging

scholarly journals Hemipteran defensive odors trigger predictable color biases in jumping spider predators

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Vickers ◽  
Lisa A. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Harmonia Axyridis ◽  
Jumping Spider ◽  
Ladybird Beetles ◽  
Predator Foraging

AbstractMultimodal warning displays often pair one signal modality (odor) with a second modality (color) to avoid predation. Experiments with bird predators suggest these signal components interact synergistically, with aversive odors triggering otherwise hidden aversions to particular prey colors. In a recent study, this phenomenon was found in a jumping spider (Habronattus trimaculatus), with the defensive odor from a coreid bug (Acanthocephala femorata) triggering an aversion to red. Here, we explore how generalizable this phenomenon is by giving H. trimaculatus the choice between red or black prey in the presence or absence of defensive odors secreted from (1) eastern leaf-footed bugs (Leptoglossus phyllopus, Hemiptera), (2) grass stinkbugs (Mormidea pama, Hemiptera), (3) Asian ladybird beetles (Harmonia axyridis, Coleoptera), and (4) eastern lubber grasshoppers (Romalea microptera, Orthoptera). As expected, in the presence of the hemipteran odors, spiders were less likely to attack red prey (compared to no odor). Unexpectedly, the beetle and grasshopper odors did not bias spiders away from red. Our results with the hemipteran odors were unique to red; follow-up experiments indicated that these odors did not affect biases for/against green prey. We discuss our findings in the context of generalized predator foraging behavior and the functions of multimodal warning displays.

Empirical evidence that large marine predator foraging behavior is consistent with area‐restricted search theory

Ecology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Bailey ◽  
V. Lyubchich ◽  
J. Wingfield ◽  
A. Fandel ◽  
A. Garrod ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Evidence ◽  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Search Theory ◽  
Marine Predator ◽  
Predator Foraging

scholarly journals Multi-species mechanistic model of functional response provides new insights into predator-mediated interactions in a vertebrate community

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andréanne Beardsell ◽  
Dominique Gravel ◽  
Jeanne Clermont ◽  
Dominique Berteaux ◽  
Gilles Gauthier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Functional Response ◽  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Interaction Strength ◽  
Arctic Tundra ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Density Dependent ◽  
Predator Foraging ◽  
Prey Handling

Prey handling processes are considered a key driver of short-term positive indirect effects between prey sharing the same predator. However, a growing body of research indicates that predators are rarely limited by such processes in the wild. Density-dependent changes in predator foraging behavior can also generate positive indirect effects but they are rarely included as explicit functions of prey densities in functional response models. With the aim of untangling proximate drivers of species interactions in natural communities and improve our ability to quantify interaction strength, we extended the Holling multi-species model by including density-dependent changes in predator foraging behavior. Our model, based on species traits and behavior, was inspired by the vertebrate community of the arctic tundra, where the main predator (the arctic fox) is an active forager feeding primarily on cyclic small rodent (lemming) populations and eggs of various tundra-nesting bird species. Short-term positive indirect effects of lemmings on birds have been documented over the circumpolar Arctic but the underlying proximate mechanisms remain poorly known. We used a unique data set, containing high-frequency GPS tracking, accelerometer, behavioral, and experimental data to parameterize the multi-species model, and a 15-year time series of prey densities and bird nesting success to evaluate interaction strength between species. Our results showed that: (i) prey handling processes play a minor role in our system and (ii) density-dependent changes in predator foraging behavior can be the proximate drivers of a predominant predator-mediated interaction observed in the arctic tundra. Mechanisms outlined in our study have been little studied and may play a significant role in natural systems. We hope that our study will provide a useful starting point to build mechanistic models of predation, and we think that our approach could conceivably be applied to a broad range of food webs.

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