The relationship between prey selectivity and growth and survival in a larval fish

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (7) ◽  
pp. 1504-1512 ◽  
Author(s):  
C M Mayer ◽  
D H Wahl

We examined prey preference, growth, and survival of small larval (8-10 mm total length (TL)), large larval (11-17 mm TL), and early juvenile (>18 mm TL) walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) in laboratory aquaria and field mesocosms using multiple prey assemblages that included cladoceran, copepod, and rotifer prey of varied sizes. Both prey taxa and size affected prey preference during the larval period. All sizes of walleye avoided rotifer and nauplii prey. Small and large larvae selected for intermediate-sized (0.4-0.9 mm) cladoceran prey and selected against large prey (>0.9 mm) of both taxa. Although neither capture efficiency nor handling time differed between prey taxa, larvae oriented more frequently towards cladoceran prey suggesting that they were more visible than copepods to these small fish. Larval walleye that were fed exclusively cladoceran prey survived better than fish that were fed other prey. Early juveniles selected primarily on the basis of prey size, choosing large copepods and cladocerans. Prey taxa did not affect early juvenile growth or survival. Prey taxa and prey size interacted with predator size to influence selectivity and its effect on growth and survival. Consequently, these factors must be considered in combination when examining the importance of foraging decisions in young fish.

1988 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 615 ◽  
Author(s):  
MC Calver ◽  
JS Bradley ◽  
DR King

Regressions of handling time on prey weight were determined for the dasyurids Srninthopsis hirtipes, S. ooldea and Ningaui spp. preying on grasshoppers and cockroaches in the laboratory. In all cases, a simple linear regression fitted the relationships better than logarithmic models. The slopes of the regression lines were steeper for grasshopper prey than for cockroach prey in all species, and for each prey type the slopes for the predators were ranked in order of predator weight. Capture efficiency, defined as the proportion of successful attacks, did not vary significantly between predator species and prey types, and all predators showed declining capture efficiencies with increasing prey size. Niche separation in these dasyurids does not appear to be based on different optimal prey sizes for each species.


1996 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 319 ◽  
Author(s):  
AP Woolnough ◽  
SM Carthew

The small dasyurid marsupial, Ningaui yvonneae, feeds opportunistically on invertebrates dominated by the orders Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Araneae, but is capable of, and will, consume vertebrates such as skinks. When presented with a choice of prey N. yvonneae exhibited a strong preference for prey items on the basis of size. It consistently selected small prey items over large prey items. Small prey items represented the most energy-efficient prey option as the ningaui can more efficiently capture, subdue and consume them than it can larger prey. The relationship between prey size and handling time was exponential, indicating that there is an upper limit to the ability of N. yvonneae to process prey. Moreover, smaller cockroaches provided greater energy gain than larger ones, indicating that the costs of eating larger cockroaches energetically outweighed the energy return. These results are in agreement with optimal foraging theory.


1986 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 704-713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen Bannon ◽  
Neil H. Ringler

The time required to handle different-sized prey (crickets) was measured in an artificial stream for eight wild brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) in two size classes (mean total lengths, 186 and 214 mm). Handling times (HTs) scaled by mouth size were described by an exponential equation: HT = 1 + 0.84e2.35(ps/ms) (ps, prey size; ms, predator (mouth) size). Cost curves based on handling time/prey weight were used to predict optimal prey lengths of 22 mm for small trout and 24 mm for large trout. A second model based on J. W. J. Wankowski's empirical results predicted slightly smaller optima. Physical constraints provided estimated minimum prey lengths of 2.8 and 3.2 mm for large and small fish, respectively; maximum prey lengths were 89 and 97 mm, respectively. We compared the predicted optimal prey size with the size distribution of invertebrates in drift and brown trout stomachs sampled in a second-order stream from July to September 1982. The most abundant prey sizes in the study stream were near the minimum size that can be effectively handled by brown trout. Prey of the predicted optimum size were rare, but feeding was size selective in spite of a limited food resource. The growth rates of these stream-dwelling brown trout were slower than the brown trout in other streams in this region. This may reflect diets consisting largely of suboptimal-sized prey.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. e0251344
Author(s):  
Yu-Hsuan Huang ◽  
Hsiao-Hang Tao ◽  
Gwo-Ching Gong ◽  
Chih-hao Hsieh

Prey availability plays an important role in determining larval fish survival. Numerous studies have found close relationships between the density of mesozooplankton and larval fishes; however, emerging studies suggest that small-size zooplankton are more important prey for some larval fish species. One arising question is whether the size of zooplankton determines the relationship between zooplankton and larval fish community in natural environments. To address this question, we collected small-size (50–200 μm) zooplankton, mesozooplankton (> 330 μm), and larval fish using three different mesh-size (50, 330, 1000 μm, respectively) nets in the East China Sea, and examined their relationships in density. Both meso- and small-size zooplankton densities showed positive relationships with larval fish density, while the relationship is much stronger for the small-size zooplankton. Specifically, the smallest size classes (50–75 and 75–100 μm) of small-size zooplankton showed the highest positive relationships with larval fish density. Temperature, salinity, and chlorophyll-a concentration did not significantly explain larval fish density. Based on these findings, we demonstrate the importance of considering prey size when investigating prey availability for larval fishes.


1994 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 913-922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary T. Bremigan ◽  
Roy A. Stein

Small gape of zooplanktivorous larval fish limits their prey size; yet, within constraints set by gape, zooplankton size eaten influences larval growth and ultimately survival. To determine if optimal zooplankton size varied among fish species with different gapes, we conducted foraging trials with larval bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus, 10–26 mm TL) and gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum, 18–31 mm TL). Larvae (n = 10) fed for 1 h on zooplankton assemblages that varied in size, after which all larvae and remaining zooplankton were preserved. Larval gape was measured; both larval gut contents and available zooplankton were quantified. Bluegill, the large-gaped species, fed on larger zooplankton than did gizzard shad with similar gapes. Further, larger bluegill fed on progressively larger zooplankton whereas all gizzard shad ate small prey (< 0.60 mm). As available zooplankton size increased, bluegill prey size increased whereas gizzard shad consistently selected small prey. Therefore, differences in zooplankton size among lakes could differentially affect foraging success of larval fishes. In particular, systems with small zooplankton may represent ideal foraging environments for gizzard shad whereas lakes with large zooplankton may favor larval bluegill. If differential larval foraging translates to differential growth and survival, zooplankton size could influence recruitment success and ultimately fish community composition.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 35-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernanda Cristina Massaro ◽  
Natalia Felix Negreiros ◽  
Odete Rocha

The Hydra is the most common representative of freshwater cnidarians. In general, it is found in freshwaters on every continent, with the exception of Antarctica. The aim of the present study is to gather biological and ecological data on aspects of two species of Hydra native to Brazil: Hydra viridissima and Hydra salmacidis. Predation and food selectivity experiments were performed to assess the possible predators and the prey preferences, respectively, of the two species. The results indicate that the two species of Hydra were not consumed by any of the predators that were tested, which are typical predators of invertebrates in freshwater: nymphs of Odonata Anisoptera and the phantom midge larvae of Chaoborus sp. (Insecta), adults of Copepoda Cyclopoida (Crustacea) and the small fish Poecilia reticulata. It was observed that the smaller Hydra, H. viridissima, positively selected the nauplii and copepodites of calanoid copepods and small cladocerans and rejected large prey, such as the adults of calanoid copepods and ostracods. The larger H. salmacidis, besides the nauplii and copepodites of the calanoid copepods and small cladocerans, also positively selected the large adults of the calanoid copepods. It can be concluded that both H. viridissima and H. salmacidis are most likely preyed on little or not preyed on at all in many freshwater bodies, as they are top predators in the food chain. At the same time, they are efficient predators, and a positive relationship was observed between the prey size and the Hydra species size. Food selectivity was related to prey size as well as other prey characteristics, such as carapace thickness and swimming efficiency.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 54-56
Author(s):  
Ashmita Dahal Chhetri

Advertisements have been used for many years to influence the buying behaviors of the consumers. Advertisements are helpful in creating the awareness and perception among the customers of a product. This particular research was conducted on the 100 young male and female who use different brands of product to check the influence of advertisement on their buying behavior while creating the awareness and building the perceptions. Correlation, regression and other statistical tools were used to identify the relationship between these variables. The results revealed that the relationship between media and consumer behavior is positive. The adve1tising impact on sales and there is positive and high degree relationship between advertising and consumer behavior. The impact on advertising of a product of electronic media is better than non-electronic media.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 2972
Author(s):  
Zhili Zuo ◽  
Jinhua Cheng ◽  
Haixiang Guo ◽  
Yonglin Li

Based on resource carrying capacity, this study used the revised theory of relative resource carrying capacity (RRCC) and introduced an innovative concept of relative fossil energy carrying capacity (RFECC), which evaluates the degree of fossil energy sustainability based on the relationship between economy, population, and environment. This study took China and the United States as the study objects, took the whole country as the reference area, and calculated the RFECC of population, economic, and environmental resources from 2000 to 2018. Therefore, based on the comparative analysis, the following conclusions were drawn: (i) there is a big difference in the RFECC between China and the United States, which is manifested in the inverted U-shaped trend in China and the U-shaped trend in the United States; (ii) the relative fossil energy carrying states in China and the United States are different, mainly reflected in the economy and environment; (iii) the gap in RFECC between China and the United States has gradually widened; in general, China’s economic RFECC is better than that of the United States, while environmental RFECC and population RFECC in the United States is better than that of China; and (iv) coal and oil should be used as a breakthrough point for the sustainable fossil energy and sustainable development for China and the United States, respectively.


Quaternary ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Miki Ben-Dor ◽  
Ran Barkai

We hypothesize that megafauna extinctions throughout the Pleistocene, that led to a progressive decline in large prey availability, were a primary selecting agent in key evolutionary and cultural changes in human prehistory. The Pleistocene human past is characterized by a series of transformations that include the evolution of new physiological traits and the adoption, assimilation, and replacement of cultural and behavioral patterns. Some changes, such as brain expansion, use of fire, developments in stone-tool technologies, or the scale of resource intensification, were uncharacteristically progressive. We previously hypothesized that humans specialized in acquiring large prey because of their higher foraging efficiency, high biomass density, higher fat content, and the use of less complex tools for their acquisition. Here, we argue that the need to mitigate the additional energetic cost of acquiring progressively smaller prey may have been an ecological selecting agent in fundamental adaptive modes demonstrated in the Paleolithic archaeological record. We describe several potential associations between prey size decline and specific evolutionary and cultural changes that might have been driven by the need to adapt to increased energetic demands while hunting and processing smaller and smaller game.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Saveski ◽  
Edmond Awad ◽  
Iyad Rahwan ◽  
Manuel Cebrian

AbstractAs groups are increasingly taking over individual experts in many tasks, it is ever more important to understand the determinants of group success. In this paper, we study the patterns of group success in Escape The Room, a physical adventure game in which a group is tasked with escaping a maze by collectively solving a series of puzzles. We investigate (1) the characteristics of successful groups, and (2) how accurately humans and machines can spot them from a group photo. The relationship between these two questions is based on the hypothesis that the characteristics of successful groups are encoded by features that can be spotted in their photo. We analyze >43K group photos (one photo per group) taken after groups have completed the game—from which all explicit performance-signaling information has been removed. First, we find that groups that are larger, older and more gender but less age diverse are significantly more likely to escape. Second, we compare humans and off-the-shelf machine learning algorithms at predicting whether a group escaped or not based on the completion photo. We find that individual guesses by humans achieve 58.3% accuracy, better than random, but worse than machines which display 71.6% accuracy. When humans are trained to guess by observing only four labeled photos, their accuracy increases to 64%. However, training humans on more labeled examples (eight or twelve) leads to a slight, but statistically insignificant improvement in accuracy (67.4%). Humans in the best training condition perform on par with two, but worse than three out of the five machine learning algorithms we evaluated. Our work illustrates the potentials and the limitations of machine learning systems in evaluating group performance and identifying success factors based on sparse visual cues.


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