Susceptibility to predation affects trait-mediated indirect interactions by reversing interspecific competition. 2011

Sophie L Mowles, and Simon D Rundle, and Peter A Cotton
Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, The University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom. sophie.mowles@gmail.com

Numerous studies indicate that the behavioral responses of prey to the presence of predators can have an important role in structuring assemblages through trait-mediated indirect interactions. Few studies, however, have addressed how relative susceptibility to predation influences such interactions. Here we examine the effect of chemical cues from the common shore crab Carcinus maenas on the foraging behavior of two common intertidal gastropod molluscs. Of the two model consumers studied, Littorina littorea is morphologically more vulnerable to crab predation than Gibbula umbilicalis, and it exhibited greater competitive ability in the absence of predation threat. However, Littorina demonstrated a greater anti-predator response when experimentally exposed to predation cues, resulting in a lower level of foraging. This reversed the competitive interaction, allowing Gibbula substantially increased access to shared resources. Our results demonstrate that the susceptibility of consumers to predation can influence species interactions, and suggest that inter-specific differences in trait-mediated indirect interactions are another mechanism through which non-consumptive predator effects may influence trophic interactions.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D011235 Predatory Behavior Instinctual behavior pattern in which food is obtained by killing and consuming other species. Predation,Behavior, Predatory,Predatory Behaviors
D003163 Competitive Behavior The direct struggle between individuals for environmental necessities or for a common goal. Behavior, Competitive,Behaviors, Competitive,Competitive Behaviors
D003386 Brachyura An infraorder of chiefly marine, largely carnivorous CRUSTACEA, in the order DECAPODA, including the genera Cancer, Uca, and Callinectes. Blue Crab,Callinectes sapidus,Carcinus maenas,Crab, Blue,Crab, Common Shore,Crab, Green,Crabs, Short-Tailed,Crabs, True,Green Crab,Uca,Common Shore Crab,European Shore Crab,Blue Crabs,Brachyuras,Carcinus maena,Common Shore Crabs,Crab, European Shore,Crab, Short-Tailed,Crab, True,Crabs, Blue,Crabs, Common Shore,Crabs, Green,Crabs, Short Tailed,Green Crabs,Shore Crab, Common,Shore Crab, European,Shore Crabs, Common,Short-Tailed Crab,Short-Tailed Crabs,True Crab,True Crabs,Ucas,maenas, Carcinus
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013045 Species Specificity The restriction of a characteristic behavior, anatomical structure or physical system, such as immune response; metabolic response, or gene or gene variant to the members of one species. It refers to that property which differentiates one species from another but it is also used for phylogenetic levels higher or lower than the species. Species Specificities,Specificities, Species,Specificity, Species
D017753 Ecosystem A functional system which includes the organisms of a natural community together with their environment. (McGraw Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Ecosystems,Biome,Ecologic System,Ecologic Systems,Ecological System,Habitat,Niche, Ecological,System, Ecological,Systems, Ecological,Biomes,Ecological Niche,Ecological Systems,Habitats,System, Ecologic,Systems, Ecologic
D049851 Gastropoda A class in the phylum MOLLUSCA comprised of SNAILS and slugs. The former have coiled external shells and the latter usually lack shells. Slugs,Gastropods,Gastropod,Gastropodas,Slug
D020387 Food Chain The sequence of transfers of matter and energy from organism to organism in the form of FOOD. Food chains intertwine locally into a food web because most organisms consume more than one type of animal or plant. PLANTS, which convert SOLAR ENERGY to food by PHOTOSYNTHESIS, are the primary food source. In a predator chain, a plant-eating animal is eaten by a larger animal. In a parasite chain, a smaller organism consumes part of a larger host and may itself be parasitized by smaller organisms. In a saprophytic chain, microorganisms live on dead organic matter. Food Web,Parasite Chain,Predator Chain,Saprophytic Chain,Chain, Food,Chain, Parasite,Chain, Predator,Chain, Saprophytic,Chains, Food,Chains, Parasite,Chains, Predator,Chains, Saprophytic,Food Chains,Food Webs,Parasite Chains,Predator Chains,Saprophytic Chains,Web, Food,Webs, Food

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