scholarly journals Ocean acidification alters the response of intertidal snails to a key sea star predator

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1833) ◽  
pp. 20160890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brittany M. Jellison ◽  
Aaron T. Ninokawa ◽  
Tessa M. Hill ◽  
Eric Sanford ◽  
Brian Gaylord
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Rocky Intertidal ◽  
Sea Star ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Pisaster Ochraceus ◽  
Level Shifts ◽  
Prey Interaction ◽  
Tegula Funebralis ◽  
Near Future

Organism-level effects of ocean acidification (OA) are well recognized. Less understood are OA's consequences for ecological species interactions. Here, we examine a behaviourally mediated predator–prey interaction within the rocky intertidal zone of the temperate eastern Pacific Ocean, using it as a model system to explore OA's capacity to impair invertebrate anti-predator behaviours more broadly. Our system involves the iconic sea star predator, Pisaster ochraceus , that elicits flee responses in numerous gastropod prey. We examine, in particular, the capacity for OA-associated reductions in pH to alter flight behaviours of the black turban snail, Tegula funebralis , an often-abundant and well-studied grazer in the system. We assess interactions between these species at 16 discrete levels of pH, quantifying the full functional response of Tegula under present and near-future OA conditions. Results demonstrate the disruption of snail anti-predator behaviours at low pH, with decreases in the time individuals spend in refuge locations. We also show that fluctuations in pH, including those typical of rock pools inhabited by snails, do not materially change outcomes, implying little capacity for episodically benign pH conditions to aid behavioural recovery. Together, these findings suggest a strong potential for OA to induce cascading community-level shifts within this long-studied ecosystem.

scholarly journals Ocean acidification alters predator behaviour and reduces predation rate

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 20160797 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue-Ann Watson ◽  
Jennifer B. Fields ◽  
Philip L. Munday
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Marine Invertebrates ◽  
Marine Invertebrate ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Ecosystem Structure ◽  
Cone Snail ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Food Web Interactions ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Increased Activity

Ocean acidification poses a range of threats to marine invertebrates; however, the emerging and likely widespread effects of rising carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels on marine invertebrate behaviour are still little understood. Here, we show that ocean acidification alters and impairs key ecological behaviours of the predatory cone snail Conus marmoreus . Projected near-future seawater CO 2 levels (975 µatm) increased activity in this coral reef molluscivore more than threefold (from less than 4 to more than 12 mm min −1 ) and decreased the time spent buried to less than one-third when compared with the present-day control conditions (390 µatm). Despite increasing activity, elevated CO 2 reduced predation rate during predator–prey interactions with control-treated humpbacked conch, Gibberulus gibberulus gibbosus ; 60% of control predators successfully captured and consumed their prey, compared with only 10% of elevated CO 2 predators. The alteration of key ecological behaviours of predatory invertebrates by near-future ocean acidification could have potentially far-reaching implications for predator–prey interactions and trophic dynamics in marine ecosystems. Combined evidence that the behaviours of both species in this predator–prey relationship are altered by elevated CO 2 suggests food web interactions and ecosystem structure will become increasingly difficult to predict as ocean acidification advances over coming decades.

scholarly journals Chemical defense in developmental stages and adult of the sea star Echinaster (Othilia) brasiliensis

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e11503
Author(s):  
Renato Crespo Pereira ◽  
Daniela Bueno Sudatti ◽  
Thaise S.G. Moreira ◽  
Carlos Renato R. Ventura
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Defense ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Sea Star ◽  
Sea Stars ◽  
Geographic Ranges ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Prey Interaction ◽  
Specific Predator ◽  
Early Developmental

To date, evidence regarding the performance of secondary metabolites from larval stages of sea stars as an anti-predation defense relates only to a few species/specimens from a few geographic ranges. Unfortunately, this hinders a comprehensive global understanding of this inter-specific predator-prey interaction. Here, we present laboratory experimental evidence of chemical defense action in the early developmental stages and adults of the sea star Echinaster (Othilia) brasiliensis from Brazil against sympatric and allopatric invertebrate consumers. Blastulae, early and late brachiolarias of E. (O.) brasiliensis were not consumed by the sympatric and allopatric crabs Mithraculus forceps. Blastulae were also avoided by the sympatric and allopatric individuals of the anemone Anemonia sargassensis, but not the larval stages. Extracts from embryos (blastula) and brachiolarias of E. (O.) brasiliensis from one sampled population (João Fernandes beach) significantly inhibited the consumption by sympatric M. forceps, but not by allopatric crabs and A. sargassensi anemone. In this same site, extracts from adults E. (O.) brasiliensis significantly inhibited the consumption by sympatric and allopatric specimens of the crab in a range of concentrations. Whereas equivalent extract concentrations of E. (O.) brasiliensis from other population (Itaipu beach)inhibited the predation by allopatric M. forceps, while sympatric individuals of this crab avoided the only the higher level tested. Then, early stages and adult specimens of E. (O.) brasiliensis can be chemically defended against consumers, but this action is quite variable, depending on the type (anemone or crab) and the origin of the consumer (sympatric or allopatric).

Predator–prey interaction between muricid gastropods and mussels under ocean acidification

2017 ◽  
Vol 124 (2) ◽  
pp. 911-916 ◽  
Author(s):  
X-Y. Xu ◽  
K.R. Yip ◽  
P.K.S. Shin ◽  
S.G. Cheung
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Prey Interaction ◽  
Muricid Gastropods

scholarly journals Emergence of a novel interaction between brown bear and cicada due to anthropogenic habitat modification

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kanji Tomita ◽  
Tsutom Hiura
Keyword(s):  
Species Interactions ◽  
Ursus Arctos ◽  
Novel Species ◽  
Brown Bear ◽  
Habitat Modification ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Anthropogenic Habitat ◽  
Typical Type ◽  
Prey Interaction

AbstractNovel species interactions have generally emerged in ecosystems that are highly modified by human activities. Anthropogenic habitat modification, such as afforestation, is one possible driver of novel species interactions; however, empirical evidence remains scarce. In this study, we show that a novel predator-prey interaction between the brown bear (Ursus arctos) and nymphs of a cicada species (Lyristes bihamatus) is generated by anthropogenic habitat modification. We evaluated the frequency of brown bear predation on cicada nymphs and the density of cicada nymphs between natural forests and plantations, which are a typical type of human-modified habitat. We found that brown bear predation on cicada nymphs occurred only in the plantations. The density of cicada nymphs in the plantations was significantly higher than in the natural forest. Our results indicate that the plantation leads to the emergence of the bear-cicada interaction due to increasing the density of cicada nymphs. The study draws attention to the overlooked effects of anthropogenic habitat modification on species interactions.

Impacts of copper contamination on a rocky intertidal predator-prey interaction

2021 ◽  
Vol 162 ◽  
pp. 111902
Author(s):  
André Pardal ◽  
Aline S. Martinez ◽  
Ronaldo A. Christofoletti ◽  
Simon Karythis ◽  
Stuart R. Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Rocky Intertidal ◽  
Copper Contamination ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Prey Interaction

scholarly journals Marine mollusc predator-escape behaviour altered by near-future carbon dioxide levels

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1774) ◽  
pp. 20132377 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue-Ann Watson ◽  
Sjannie Lefevre ◽  
Mark I. McCormick ◽  
Paolo Domenici ◽  
Göran E. Nilsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Marine Invertebrates ◽  
Marine Invertebrate ◽  
Antipredator Behaviour ◽  
Escape Behaviour ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Prey Interaction ◽  
Gaba Antagonist ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Levels ◽  
Near Future

Ocean acidification poses a range of threats to marine invertebrates; however, the potential effects of rising carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) on marine invertebrate behaviour are largely unknown. Marine gastropod conch snails have a modified foot and operculum allowing them to leap backwards rapidly when faced with a predator, such as a venomous cone shell. Here, we show that projected near-future seawater CO 2 levels (961 µatm) impair this escape behaviour during a predator–prey interaction. Elevated-CO 2 halved the number of snails that jumped from the predator, increased their latency to jump and altered their escape trajectory. Physical ability to jump was not affected by elevated-CO 2 indicating instead that decision-making was impaired. Antipredator behaviour was fully restored by treatment with gabazine, a GABA antagonist of some invertebrate nervous systems, indicating potential interference of neurotransmitter receptor function by elevated-CO 2 , as previously observed in marine fishes. Altered behaviour of marine invertebrates at projected future CO 2 levels could have potentially far-reaching implications for marine ecosystems.

Testing ecological release as a compensating mechanism for mass mortality in a keystone predator

2020 ◽  
Vol 637 ◽  
pp. 59-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Sullivan-Stack ◽  
BA Menge
Keyword(s):  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Limiting Factor ◽  
Sea Star ◽  
Top Predator ◽  
Oregon Coast ◽  
Ecological Release ◽  
Keystone Predator ◽  
Pisaster Ochraceus ◽  
Wasting Syndrome

Top predator decline has been ubiquitous across systems over the past decades and centuries, and predicting changes in resultant community dynamics is a major challenge for ecologists and managers. Ecological release predicts that loss of a limiting factor, such as a dominant competitor or predator, can release a species from control, thus allowing increases in its size, density, and/or distribution. The 2014 sea star wasting syndrome (SSWS) outbreak decimated populations of the keystone predator Pisaster ochraceus along the Oregon coast, USA. This event provided an opportunity to test the predictions of ecological release across a broad spatial scale and determine the role of competitive dynamics in top predator recovery. We hypothesized that after P. ochraceus loss, populations of the subordinate sea star Leptasterias sp. would grow larger, more abundant, and move downshore. We based these predictions on prior research in Washington State showing that Leptasterias sp. competed with P. ochraceus for food. Further, we predicted that ecological release of Leptasterias sp. could provide a bottleneck to P. ochraceus recovery. Using field surveys, we found no clear change in density or distribution in Leptasterias sp. populations post-SSWS, and decreases in body size. In a field experiment, we found no evidence of competition between similar-sized Leptasterias sp. and P. ochraceus. Thus, the mechanisms underlying our predictions were not in effect along the Oregon coast, which we attribute to differences in habitat overlap and food availability between the 2 regions. Our results suggest that response to the loss of a dominant competitor can be unpredictable even when based in theory and previous research.

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