Bias in lobster tethering experiments conducted for selecting low-predation release sites

Mills, David J.; Johnson, Craig R.; Gardner, Caleb

doi:10.3354/meps07527

Cited by 27 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 46 publications

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“…The potential artefacts of tethering experiments have received considerable attention through both experimental studies (e.g. Barshaw and Able, 1990;Zimmer-Faust et al, 1994;Curran and Able, 1998;Haywood et al, 2003;Adams et al, 2004;Mills et al, 2008) and debate in the literature (Peterson and Black, 1994;Aronson and Heck, 1995;Kneib and Scheele, 2000;Aronson et al, 2001). Several studies have demonstrated significant interactions that confound observed patterns (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tethering mobile aquatic organisms to measure predation: A renewed call for caution

Baker

Waltham

2020

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

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Tethering experiments are one of the few approaches available to ecologists to assess predation rates in aquatic environments, and they have provided important insights into the processes driving observed patterns in aquatic communities. The potential for experimental artefacts to arise when tethering mobile prey has been well recognised and was vigorously discussed in the literature around 20 years ago. However, we reviewed 128 published studies that tethered fish and mobile crustaceans and found a growing number since that time that we believe do not adequately consider these potential issues. The majority of studies recognise that tethering mobile prey can only provide a relative rather than absolute estimate of predation rates, yet 16% present and interpret their results as if they reflect absolute natural predation rates. Two thirds of published studies at least acknowledge other potential artefacts, less than half test for them, while one third seemingly give no consideration to potential artefacts or biases of the method. Our review also revealed the potential for a lack of independence between individual replicates. More than two thirds of studies deployed replicate tethered prey a minimum of no > 5 m apart, with more than one quarter deploying them no > 1 m apart. Eighty-five percent of studies considered missing prey to represent predation. We deployed 104 tethered fish prey in field trials and monitored them using remote underwater video to determine the causes of prey loss. These trials reinforced the simple but important point that prey missing from tether lines at the end of an experiment can be missing for a variety of reasons other than reflecting predation. They also highlight the potential for underwater video, where it is practical to use, to overcome many of the issues confronting field tethering experiments. Carefully designed tethering studies will continue to be an important tool for ecologists studying patterns of predation in aquatic systems. However, our findings suggest a re-emerging need for researchers to recognise and test for potential biases and artefacts inherent with the technique.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tethering mobile aquatic organisms to measure predation: A renewed call for caution

Baker

Waltham

2020

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

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“…Howard 1983;Mills et al 2008). The critical phase for the survival of juvenile lobsters released into the wild is the first hour after release (Van der Meeren 2000).…”

Section: Activity Of Juvenile European Lobsters 23mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of temperature on the moulting and locomotory activity of hatchery-reared juvenile lobsters (Homarus gammarus) at Helgoland (North Sea)

Schmalenbach

Búchholz

2013

Marine Biology Research

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“…In addition, they estimated that 50% survival occurred at~39 mm CL, which agrees closely with the 50% mortality at~41 mm CL documented in our study. While we acknowledge that tethering likely results in elevated predation rates (e.g., Mills et al, 2008), collectively these studies suggest that the relative predation risk for lobsters is highly size-dependent and quickly decreases with size in coastal Maine.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Influence of predator identity on the strength of predator avoidance responses in lobsters

Wilkinson

Grabowski

Sherwood

et al. 2015

Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology

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Bias in lobster tethering experiments conducted for selecting low-predation release sites

Cited by 27 publications

References 46 publications

Tethering mobile aquatic organisms to measure predation: A renewed call for caution

Tethering mobile aquatic organisms to measure predation: A renewed call for caution

Effects of temperature on the moulting and locomotory activity of hatchery-reared juvenile lobsters (Homarus gammarus) at Helgoland (North Sea)

Influence of predator identity on the strength of predator avoidance responses in lobsters

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