scholarly journals Speciation through the lens of biomechanics: locomotion, prey capture and reproductive isolation

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1838) ◽  
pp. 20161294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy E. Higham ◽  
Sean M. Rogers ◽  
R. Brian Langerhans ◽  
Heather A. Jamniczky ◽  
George V. Lauder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Sciences ◽  
Reproductive Isolation ◽  
Prey Capture ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Fish Predator ◽  
Local Conditions ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Primary Driver ◽  
Abiotic And Biotic Factors ◽  
Specific Species

Speciation is a multifaceted process that involves numerous aspects of the biological sciences and occurs for multiple reasons. Ecology plays a major role, including both abiotic and biotic factors. Whether populations experience similar or divergent ecological environments, they often adapt to local conditions through divergence in biomechanical traits. We investigate the role of biomechanics in speciation using fish predator–prey interactions, a primary driver of fitness for both predators and prey. We highlight specific groups of fishes, or specific species, that have been particularly valuable for understanding these dynamic interactions and offer the best opportunities for future studies that link genetic architecture to biomechanics and reproductive isolation (RI). In addition to emphasizing the key biomechanical techniques that will be instrumental, we also propose that the movement towards linking biomechanics and speciation will include (i) establishing the genetic basis of biomechanical traits, (ii) testing whether similar and divergent selection lead to biomechanical divergence, and (iii) testing whether/how biomechanical traits affect RI. Future investigations that examine speciation through the lens of biomechanics will propel our understanding of this key process.

scholarly journals Temperature and Estrogen Alter Predator–Prey Interactions between Fish Species

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J L Ward ◽  
V Korn ◽  
A N Auxier ◽  
H L Schoenfuss
Keyword(s):  
Prey Capture ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Pimephales Promelas ◽  
Lepomis Macrochirus ◽  
Environmental Estrogens ◽  
Fathead Minnows ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Food Web Interactions ◽  
Capture Success ◽  
High Concentrations

Synopsis A variety of environmental estrogens are commonly detected in human-impacted waterways. Although much is known about the effects of these environmental estrogens on the reproductive physiology and behavior of individuals within species, comparatively less is known about how these compounds alter the outcomes of interactions between species. Furthermore, few studies have considered how the effects of contaminants are modulated by natural variation in abiotic factors, such as temperature. To help fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a factorial experiment to examine the independent and combined effects of estrone (E1) and temperature on the outcome of predator–prey interactions between two common North American freshwater fishes, fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Larval fathead minnows and adult sunfish were exposed to either a low (mean±standard deviation, 90.1 ± 18 ng/L; n = 16) or high (414 ± 147 ng/L; n = 15) concentration of E1 or to a solvent control for 30 days at one of four natural seasonal temperatures (15°C, 18°C, 21°C, and 24°C) before predation trials were performed. Exposure to E1 was associated with a significant increase in larval predation mortality that was independent of temperature. Across all temperature treatments, approximately 74% of control minnows survived; this survivorship significantly exceeded that of minnows exposed to either concentration of E1 (49% and 53% for minnows exposed to the low and high concentrations, respectively). However, exposure to E1 also impaired the prey-capture success of sunfish, partially mitigating predation pressure on exposed minnows. Overall prey-capture success by sunfish showed an inverted U-shaped distribution with temperature, with maximal prey consumption occurring at 21°C. This study illustrates the vulnerability of organismal interactions to estrogenic pollutants and highlights the need to include food web interactions in assessments of risk.

scholarly journals Predator-induced flow disturbances alert prey, from the onset of an attack

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1790) ◽  
pp. 20141083 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérôme Casas ◽  
Thomas Steinmann
Keyword(s):  
Prey Capture ◽  
Ground Effect ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
Soil Arthropods ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Flow Sensing ◽  
Predator Attack ◽  
Flow Disturbances ◽  
A Minor ◽  
High Degree

Many prey species, from soil arthropods to fish, perceive the approach of predators, allowing them to escape just in time. Thus, prey capture is as important to predators as prey finding. We extend an existing framework for understanding the conjoint trajectories of predator and prey after encounters, by estimating the ratio of predator attack and prey danger perception distances, and apply it to wolf spiders attacking wood crickets. Disturbances to air flow upstream from running spiders, which are sensed by crickets, were assessed by computational fluid dynamics with the finite-elements method for a much simplified spider model: body size, speed and ground effect were all required to obtain a faithful representation of the aerodynamic signature of the spider, with the legs making only a minor contribution. The relationship between attack speed and the maximal distance at which the cricket can perceive the danger is parabolic; it splits the space defined by these two variables into regions differing in their values for this ratio. For this biological interaction, the ratio is no greater than one, implying immediate perception of the danger, from the onset of attack. Particular attention should be paid to the ecomechanical aspects of interactions with such small ratio, because of the high degree of bidirectional coupling of the behaviour of the two protagonists. This conclusion applies to several other predator–prey systems with sensory ecologies based on flow sensing, in air and water.

The direct and indirect effects of temperature on a predator–prey relationship

2001 ◽  
Vol 79 (10) ◽  
pp. 1834-1841 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael T Anderson ◽  
Joseph M Kiesecker ◽  
Douglas P Chivers ◽  
Andrew R Blaustein
Keyword(s):  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Prey Capture ◽  
Prey Size ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Biotic Interactions ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Prey Mass ◽  
Effects Of Temperature ◽  
Logistic Regression Equation ◽  
Probability Of Capture

Abiotic factors may directly influence community structure by influencing biotic interactions. In aquatic systems, where gape-limited predators are common, abiotic factors that influence organisms' growth rates potentially mediate predator–prey interactions indirectly through effects on prey size. We tested the hypothesis that temperature influences interactions between aquatic size-limited insect predators (Notonecta kirbyi) and their larval anuran prey (Hyla regilla) beyond its indirect effect on prey size. Notonecta kirbyi and H. regilla were raised and tested in predator–prey trials at one of three experimentally maintained temperatures, 9.9, 20.7, or 25.7°C. Temperature strongly influenced anuran growth and predator success; mean tadpole mass over time was positively related to temperature, while the number of prey caught was negatively related. At higher temperatures tadpoles attained greater mass more quickly, allowing them to avoid capture by notonectids. However, the probability of capture is a function of both mass and temperature; temperature was a significant explanatory variable in a logistic regression equation predicting prey capture. For a given prey mass, tadpoles raised in warmer water experienced a higher probability of capture by notonectids. Thus, rather than being static, prey size refugia are influenced directly by abiotic factors, in this case temperature. This suggests that temperature exerts differential effects on notonectid and larval anurans, leading to differences in the probability of prey capture for a given prey mass. Therefore, temperature can influence predator–prey interactions via indirect effects on prey size and direct effects on prey.

scholarly journals Predator-Prey Interaction Between an American Robin, Turdus migratorius, and a Five-lined Skink, Eumeces fasciatus

2007 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 216 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Natasha Vanderhoff
Keyword(s):  
Prey Capture ◽  
Turdus Migratorius ◽  
American Robin ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Prey Interaction

I observed a predator-prey interaction between a juvenile American Robin (Turdus migratorius L.) and a juvenile Five-lined Skink (Eumeces fasciatus L.). Although Robins are considered omnivorous, there are no previous reports of a robin eating lizards although they have been recorded as occasionally taking snakes. I discuss the age of the individuals involved as it relates to prey capture and escape.

Non-consumptive effects in fish predator–prey interactions on coral reefs

Coral Reefs ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 867-884 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew D. Mitchell ◽  
Alastair R. Harborne
Keyword(s):  
Coral Reefs ◽  
Fish Predator ◽  
Predator Prey

Influence of biotic and abiotic factors on adult Odonata (Insecta) in Amazon streams

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-84
Author(s):  
Lenize Batista Calvão ◽  
Carina Kaory Sasahara de Paiva ◽  
Joás da Silva Brito ◽  
Ana Luisa Fares ◽  
Calebe Maia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Trophic Groups ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Structural Support ◽  
Physiological Constraints ◽  
Habitat Integrity ◽  
Abiotic And Biotic Factors

Abstract Abiotic and biotic factors play an essential role in the structuring of natural communities. Aquatic ecosystems have complex interaction networks, encompassing predator/prey relationships and structural support. Among aquatic organisms, the order Odonata is a model group for understanding those relationships since they can be both predators and prey. Our hypotheses were that Zygoptera are (i) influenced positively by Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) and the Habitat Integrity Index (HII), and negatively by fish and macrophytes; and (ii) Anisoptera are affected positively by EPT and macrophytes, and negatively by fish and HII. We found that Zygoptera were affected by the fish functional trophic groups, while Anisoptera were affected by macrophytes, EPT, fish and HII. Macrophytes affected anisopterans positively because they provide perching sites for adults. The results for EPT and HII may be related since these organisms are also sensitive to environmental changes. More open areas have lower HII values and the negative relationship with Anisoptera may be explained by physiological constraints. The negative relationship between EPT and Anisoptera could be explained by the low occurrence of EPT in open sites, which are the sites that were highly rich in Anisoptera. Finally, the dominance of specific functional trophic groups of fish influences Odonata suborders in different ways. In conclusion, the results show the importance of ecological interactions for Odonata in Amazonian streams in both direct and indirect ways.

scholarly journals Community dynamics and sensitivity to model structure: towards a probabilistic view of process-based model predictions

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (149) ◽  
pp. 20180741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clement Aldebert ◽  
Daniel B. Stouffer
Keyword(s):  
Biological Sciences ◽  
Community Dynamics ◽  
Parametric Uncertainty ◽  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Predictive Uncertainty ◽  
Structural Sensitivity ◽  
Model Predictions ◽  
Complex Models ◽  
Process Based Models

Statistical inference and mechanistic, process-based modelling represent two philosophically different streams of research whose primary goal is to make predictions. Here, we merge elements from both approaches to keep the theoretical power of process-based models while also considering their predictive uncertainty using Bayesian statistics. In environmental and biological sciences, the predictive uncertainty of process-based models is usually reduced to parametric uncertainty. Here, we propose a practical approach to tackle the added issue of structural sensitivity, the sensitivity of predictions to the choice between quantitatively close and biologically plausible models. In contrast to earlier studies that presented alternative predictions based on alternative models, we propose a probabilistic view of these predictions that include the uncertainty in model construction and the parametric uncertainty of each model. As a proof of concept, we apply this approach to a predator–prey system described by the classical Rosenzweig–MacArthur model, and we observe that parametric sensitivity is regularly overcome by structural sensitivity. In addition to tackling theoretical questions about model sensitivity, the proposed approach can also be extended to make probabilistic predictions based on more complex models in an operational context. Both perspectives represent important steps towards providing better model predictions in biology, and beyond.

2. Effect of climate change on the predation rate of zooplankton in Swan Lake, Sudbury, ON

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinne Daly
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Trophic Levels ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Swan Lake ◽  
Feeding Trials ◽  
Boreal Shield ◽  
Biodiversity Changes ◽  
Shield Lakes

Climate change interacts with other environmental stressors (e.g., acid deposition, calcium depletion, invasive species) to alter both the chemical and biological characteristics of Boreal Shield lakes, potentially leading to changes in aquatic biodiversity. Changes in biodiversity can result in loss of sensitive species and affect dynamic interactions among species at varying trophic levels. Currently, little is known about the effect of climate warming on predator-prey relationships in aquatic ecosystems. I examine how predicted warming of Boreal Shield lakes may affect predation rate. More specifically, my research examines how temperature affects the predation rate on zooplankton by common macroinvertebrate predators. Zooplankton, Chaoborus and Notonectidae were used from Swan Lake in Sudbury, ON. I performed 24-hr laboratory feeding trials to examine the rate at which predators feed over a range of natural and predicted lake temperatures. By investigating differences in invertebrate predation occurring in Swan Lake, we will be able to predict predator -prey relationships in Boreal Shield lakes subject to warming as a result of climate change.

Modeling an electrosensory landscape

2002 ◽  
Vol 205 (7) ◽  
pp. 999-1007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon R. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Prey Capture ◽  
Mate Location ◽  
Sense Organs ◽  
Predator Prey ◽  
Multiple Sensors ◽  
Afferent Nerves ◽  
Behavioral Observations ◽  
Primary Afferent Nerves ◽  
Prey Location ◽  
Specific Predator

SUMMARYMost biological sensory systems benefit from multiple sensors. Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays) possess an array of electroreceptive organs that facilitate prey location, mate location and navigation. Here, the perceived electrosensory landscape for an elasmobranch approaching prey is mathematically modeled. The voltages that develop simultaneously in dozens of separate sensing organs are calculated using electrodynamics. These voltages lead directly to firing rate modifications in the primary afferent nerves. The canals connecting the sense organs to an elasmobranch's surface exhibit great variation of location and orientation. Here, the voltages arising in the sense organs are found to depend strongly on the geometrical distribution of the corresponding canals. Two applications for the modeling technique are explored: an analysis of observed elasmobranch prey-capture behavior and an analysis of morphological optimization. For the former, results in specific predator-prey scenarios are compared with behavioral observations, supporting the approach algorithm suggested by A. Kalmijn. For the latter, electrosensory performance is contrasted for two geometrical models of multiple sense organs,a rounded head and a hammer-shaped head.

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