Dynamic Behavior of Predators and Prey in a Multihabitat System

Dynamic Behavior of Predators and Prey in a Multihabitat System
Author: Angélique Dupuch
Publisher: Editions Universitaires Europeennes
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2010-04
Genre: Fishes
ISBN: 9786131502460

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Understanding predator-prey interactions, and particularly their reciprocal responses, is a central topic in ecology. Many studies have explored habitat use by both predators and prey, and have shown that prey prefer the predator-poor habitats and predators the prey-rich ones. However, these studies mostly focused on the behaviour of predators and prey when the distribution of the other species was fixed in space. Theoretical and empirical knowledge of predators and prey space use when both are allowed to move freely are scarce. Within this framework, this thesis focuses on both the antipredator behaviour and habitat selection by a prey species, northern redbelly dace (Phoxinus eos), when exposed to a predation risk varying in intensity in both space and time.

Predator-Prey Dynamics

Predator-Prey Dynamics
Author: Michael R. Conover
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 266
Release: 2007-03-30
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1420009125

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Humans, being visually oriented, are well versed in camouflage and how animals hide from predators that use vision to locate prey. However, many predators do not hunt by sight; they hunt by scent. This raises the question: do survival mechanisms and behaviors exist which allow animals to hide from these olfactory predators? If so, what are they, a

Ecology of Predator-Prey Interactions

Ecology of Predator-Prey Interactions
Author: Pedro Barbosa
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 424
Release: 2005-08-11
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 9780195171204

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This book addresses the fundamental issues of predator-prey interactions, with an emphasis on predation among arthropods, which have been better studied, and for which the database is more extensive than for the large and rare vertebrate predators. The book should appeal to ecologists interested in the broad issue of predation effects on communities.

Evaluation of Dynamic Interactions Between Predator, Prey and Fisheries in Ecosystem Models

Evaluation of Dynamic Interactions Between Predator, Prey and Fisheries in Ecosystem Models
Author: Ashley McCrea Strub
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2009
Genre:
ISBN:

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As fishery production and habitat quality continues to experience declines, there is a growing need to improve the scientific methodologies used to assess and sustain economically and ecologically important fisheries. This requires a sound understanding of the life histories and population dynamics of each species, and development of a robust framework for population modeling. Realization of the multi-species nature of fisheries has prompted a shift towards ecosystem-based approaches to modeling. To evaluate alternative methods for modeling predator-prey interactions within a physically variable coastal-estuarine ecosystem, a food web of national economic and ecological significance comprised of Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), striped bass (Morone saxatilis), and bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) is considered in this study. Understanding the dynamics of biological communities such as this is challenging and requires the formulation of realistic mathematical models. This should be a stepwise process in which the underlying assumptions, parameter sensitivities, and fundamental behaviors of interacting species dynamics described by relatively 3simple4 to more 3complex4 models are delineated and quantified. In this study two alternative multispecies modeling frameworks were utilized to evaluate the dynamic interactions between predator and prey populations, and to understand the influence of fisheries and environmental temperature change on predator-prey and food chain communities. First, relatively 3simple, 4 age-independent, predator-prey and food chain models representing generalized, ecological-scale interactions between different trophic groups were developed and analyzed. Sensitivity analyses revealed the relative importance of model parameters and the effect of varying levels of fishing mortality on model dynamics. Overall, the predator-prey and food chain models were shown to be a valuable tool for understanding general patterns in the dynamic behavior of interacting populations. Next, an environment-dependent, age-structured, Atlantic coast spatial dynamic multispecies model was investigated. This more complex model links individual-scale bioenergetic processes controlling growth to ecological-scale rates of natural and predation mortality. Simulations were performed using recent stock assessment estimates of fishery condition and stock sizes to evaluate the nature and magnitude of linkages among menhaden and their key predators, specifically bluefish. This ecosystem model was demonstrated to provide valuable insights into the dynamics of menhaden and bluefish given the underlying dynamics and forcing in the Atlantic States fishery coastal ocean ecosystem. Additionally, the influence of environmental temperature on both modeling frameworks was investigated. This iterative process of model development and analysis advances the current understanding of the species and ecosystem of interest, and ultimately provides an improved basis for multispecies fisheries assessments.

Trophic Cascades

Trophic Cascades
Author: John Terborgh
Publisher: Island Press
Total Pages: 487
Release: 2013-06-25
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1597268194

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Trophic cascades—the top-down regulation of ecosystems by predators—are an essential aspect of ecosystem function and well-being. Trophic cascades are often drastically disrupted by human interventions—for example, when wolves and cougars are removed, allowing deer and beaver to become destructive—yet have only recently begun to be considered in the development of conservation and management strategies. Trophic Cascades is the first comprehensive presentation of the science on this subject. It brings together some of the world’s leading scientists and researchers to explain the importance of large animals in regulating ecosystems, and to relate that scientific knowledge to practical conservation. Chapters examine trophic cascades across the world’s major biomes, including intertidal habitats, coastal oceans, lakes, nearshore ecosystems, open oceans, tropical forests, boreal and temperate ecosystems, low arctic scrubland, savannas, and islands. Additional chapters consider aboveground/belowground linkages, predation and ecosystem processes, consumer control by megafauna and fire, and alternative states in ecosystems. An introductory chapter offers a concise overview of trophic cascades, while concluding chapters consider theoretical perspectives and comparative issues. Trophic Cascades provides a scientific basis and justification for the idea that large predators and top-down forcing must be considered in conservation strategies, alongside factors such as habitat preservation and invasive species. It is a groundbreaking work for scientists and managers involved with biodiversity conservation and protection.

Predator Ecology

Predator Ecology
Author: John P. DeLong
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2021-09-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 019264808X

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Predator-prey interactions are ubiquitous, govern the flow of energy up trophic levels, and strongly influence the structure of ecological systems. They are typically quantified using the functional response - the relationship between a predator's foraging rate and the availability of food. As such, the functional response is central to how all ecological communities function - since all communities contain foragers - and a principal driver of the abundance, diversity, and dynamics of ecological communities. The functional response also reflects all the behaviors, traits, and strategies that predators use to hunt prey and that prey use to evade predation. It is thus both a clear reflection of past evolution, including predator-prey arms races, and a major force driving the future evolution of both predator and prey. Despite their importance, there have been remarkably few attempts to synthesize or even briefly review functional responses. This novel and accessible book fills this gap, clearly demonstrating their crucial role as the link between individuals, evolution, and community properties, representing a highly-integrated and measurable aspect of ecological function. It provides a clear entry point for students, a refresher for more advanced researchers, and a motivator for future research. Predator Ecology is an advanced textbook suitable for graduate students and researchers in ecology and evolutionary biology seeking a broad, up-to-date, and authoritative coverage of the field. It will also be of relevance and use to mathematical ecologists, wildlife biologists, and anyone interested in predator-prey interactions.

One Predator - Two Prey Systems

One Predator - Two Prey Systems
Author: Roos van Maanen
Publisher:
Total Pages: 102
Release: 2012
Genre:
ISBN: 9789491407024

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Examining how Spatial-temporal Interactions Between Predators Influence the Distribution, Vigilance, and Survival of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Fawns

Examining how Spatial-temporal Interactions Between Predators Influence the Distribution, Vigilance, and Survival of White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Fawns
Author: Asia Murphy
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2021
Genre:
ISBN:

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Predator-prey interactions are among one of the most important community-structuring interspecific relationships. It is well known that predators have direct (i.e., consumptive) effects (CEs), influencing population density [1] and survival [2, 3], and indirect (i.e., non-consumptive) effects (NCEs) on prey. Typically, NCEs are caused by the prey's antipredator behaviors, and can range from changes in distribution and habitat use [4-8] to changes in morphology [9] and decreased reproductive success and recruitment [10-13] to increased vigilance and group size [14, 15]. Based on their strength, CEs and NCEs can scale up to affecting entire ecosystems through trophic cascades [16, 17]. Antipredator behaviors are often tied to the prey's perception of predation risk, which is the probability of prey encountering a predator and/or being killed [7] and varies across space and time [18, 19]. Prey perception of predation risk is based on predator identity and hunting style [20-23], and prey often connect the risk of being killed by an ambush predator to specific habitat features [4], while the risk of being killed by a wide-ranging predator is often not tied to habitat features [17], although these types of predators might find more success in open habitats [24]. This suggests that prey will use different antipredator strategies to avoid different predators. Whereas prey might avoid risky habitats when avoiding ambush predators, prey might avoid being active and/or increase vigilance during risky hours when coursing predators might be active and hunting [25]. While many studies focus on the effect of a single predator on prey [i.e., 8], in most ecological communities, there are often multiple predators preying on the same species [26-28]. The number of predatory species in an ecological community can influence the strength of predator effects on prey [27, 29]. If the antipredator strategies that prey use to reduce predation risk by one predator indirectly increases its chance of being killed by another predator [i.e., predator faciliation; 30], predators can more effectively suppress prey populations [29, 31]. Prey in multi-predator systems often seem unable to completely avoid all predators, and instead focus their energies on using antipredator behaviors meant to avoid predators in order of lethality [32]. The interactions between predators, and the interactions between predators and humans, can also influence predation pressure on prey [33]. A comprehensive study on antipredator behavior and survival in a multi-predator system would determine not only the spatiotemporal distributions, antipredator behavior, and survival probability of the prey, but the spatiotemporal distributions of the predators. The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are culturally and economically important species across much of the United States [34] in Pennsylvania. The number one cause of mortality in white-tailed deer fawns is predation [3, 35]; in Pennsylvania, black bears (Ursus americanus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and bobcats (Lynx rufus; Vreeland et al. 2004, McLean et al. 2005) are all known to prey on fawns. All three predators use different habitats [37-39], can be active at different times [40-42], and have different hunting styles [43, 44], creating a landscape of predation risk that varies spatially and temporally [45]. In addition, these predators--particularly coyotes and bobcats [46-48]--can compete with and influence the habitat use and activity patterns of the other predators, further complicating the landscape that fawns must navigate to survive. While this landscape of multi-predator predation risk has been characterized before for white-tailed deer fawns [see 49, 50], no one has attempted to do so in Pennsylvania. In this dissertation, I examine how habitat relationships (Chapter 1) and spatiotemporal interactions of and between humans, fawns, black bears, coyotes, and bobcats influence the vigilance (Chapter 2) and survival (Chapter 3) of fawns during their first three months of life. In Chapter 1, I find that differing matrix types can influence the similarity of coyote and fawn habitat use. In Chapter 2, I posit that the risk allocation hypothesis can explain why a number of studies--including my own--have found that, in more anthropogenically disturbed habitats, species that would normally avoid spatiotemporal overlap with each other increase in spatiotemporal overlap. In Chapter 3, I estimate fawn survival, examine its relationship to fawn antipredator behavior and habitat, and find that data from camera trap surveys could be a feasible alternative to radio-collaring when the goal is to estimate fawn survival. My research provides new insights into species interactions are influenced by anthropogenic disturbance and a template for noninvasively and inexpensively examining these interactions.

Predation

Predation
Author: R. J. Taylor
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 174
Release: 2013-06-29
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9400955545

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When assuming the task of preparing a book such as this, one inevitably wonders why anyone would want to read it. I have always sympathized with Charles Elton's trenchant observation in his 1927 book that 'we have to face the fact that while ecological work is fascinating to do, it is unbearably dull to read about . . . ' And yet several good reasons do exist for producing a small volume on predation. The subject is interesting in its own right; no ecologist can deny that predation is one of the basic processes in the natural world. And the logical roots for much currently published reasoning about predation are remarkably well hidden; if one must do research on the subject, it helps not to be forced to start from first principles. A student facing predator-prey interactions for the first time is confronted with an amazingly diverse and sometimes inaccessible literature, with a ratio of wheat to chaff not exceeding 1: 5. A guide to the perplexed in this field does not exist at present, and I hope the book will serve that function. But apart from these more-or-Iess academic reasons for writing the book, I am forced to it by my conviction that predators are important in the ecological scheme. They playa critical role in the biological control of insects and other pests and are therefore of immediate economic concern.