Gape-Limited Predators as Agents of Selection on the Defensive Morphology of an Invasive Invertebrate

Miehls, Andrea L. J.; Peacor, Scott D.; McAdam, Andrew G.

doi:10.1111/evo.12472

Cited by 19 publications

(48 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…, Miehls et al. ). Third, only a few studies considered the time since the invasion occurred, even though effects of IAP are expected to vary with time since invasion due to phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptations both in the IAP and the native prey species (Strauss et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Naive tadpoles do not recognize recent invasive predatory fishes as dangerous

Hettyey

Thonhauser

Bókony

et al. 2016

Ecology

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Abstract. Invasive alien predators (IAP) are spreading on a global scale-often with devastating ecological effects. One reason for their success may be that prey species fail to recognize them due to a lack of co-evolutionary history. We performed a comprehensive test of this "prey naiveté" hypothesis using a novel approach: we tested whether predator-naive tadpoles of the agile frog (Rana dalmatina) display antipredator behavior upon encountering chemical cues produced by native, invasive (established or recent) or allopatric fishes (four perciforms, four siluriforms, and two cypriniforms). We studied the influence of population origin on predatordetection ability by presenting chemical cues to predator-naive tadpoles that originated from fishless hill-ponds or fish-infested floodplain populations. Before trials, we fed fishes with tadpoles or an alternative food to test whether direct chemical cues from the predator's diet influences the tadpoles' recognition of potential predators. Tadpoles reduced their activity upon exposure to cues from native and long-established invasive perciforms, but not in response to recent invaders, allopatric predators, or to any siluriforms. Also, predators that were previously fed with tadpoles did not universally induce behavioral defensedefenses upon first encounter. Finally, tadpoles originating from isolated hill-ponds exhibited higher baseline activity and responded in weaker fashion than their conspecifics from floodplain populations, which co-exist with predatory fishes. Our results indicate that tadpoles may be vulnerable to invading predatory fishes due to their inability to recognize them as dangerous, though their ability to recognize invasive IAP may evolve rapidly, in fewer than 30 generations.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Naive tadpoles do not recognize recent invasive predatory fishes as dangerous

Hettyey

Thonhauser

Bókony

et al. 2016

Ecology

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“…Further, laboratory research (Barnhisel, 1991a,b) indicated that gape-limited fish selectively consume Bythotrephes based on distal spine length, with gape-limited fish preferentially consuming Bythotrephes with shorter distal spines. Additionally, a separate study identified gape-limited fish predators as agents of selection for increased distal spine length of Bythotrephes in five Canadian Shield lakes (Miehls et al, 2014). Curiously, no selection was found on Bythotrephes distal spine length in Shield lakes dominated by a non-gape-limited fish predator (adult Coregonus artedi; Miehls et al, 2014), yet here we found selection for decreased distal spine length during a time when predation would be dominated by non-gape-limited fish predators (primarily adult A. pseudoharengus).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous research in Lake Michigan has shown that Bythotrephes distal spine length has a strong genetic basis (range of H 2 : 0.27-0.76; Miehls et al, 2012), and research completed in a set of lakes in the Canadian Shield indicates that distal spine length experiences natural selection due to fish predation (Miehls et al, 2014). Other work suggests that spine length experiences natural selection from fish predators in the Great Lakes (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary stasis despite selection on a heritable trait in an invasive zooplankton

Miehls

Peacor

Valliant

et al. 2015

J of Evolutionary Biology

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Invasive species are one of the greatest threats to ecosystems, and there is evidence that evolution plays an important role in the success or failure of invasions. Yet, few studies have measured natural selection and evolutionary responses to selection in invasive species, particularly invasive animals. We quantified the strength of natural selection on the defensive morphology (distal spine) of an invasive zooplankton, Bythotrephes longimanus, in Lake Michigan across multiple months during three growing seasons. We used multiple lines of evidence, including historic and contemporary wild-captured individuals and palaeoecology of retrieved spines, to assess phenotypic change in distal spine length since invasion. We found evidence of temporally variable selection, with selection for decreased distal spine length early in the growing season and selection for increased distal spine length later in the season. This trend in natural selection is consistent with seasonal changes in the relative strength of non-gape-limited and gape-limited fish predation. Yet, despite net selection for increased distal spine length and a known genetic basis for distal spine length, we observed little evidence of an evolutionary response to selection. Multiple factors likely limit an evolutionary response to selection, including genetic correlations, trade-offs between components of fitness, and phenotypic plasticity.

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“…Size is expected to be particularly important for armored prey that can reach a size refuge from their major predator (Paine, ; Vermeij, ). A common strategy for armored prey with major predators that are gape‐limited is to grow too large to fit into their predator's feeding appendage (Miehls, Peacor, & McAdam, ; Vermeij, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A common strategy for armored prey with major predators that are gape-limited is to grow too large to fit into their predator's feeding appendage (Miehls, Peacor, & McAdam, 2014;Vermeij, 1987).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Size selection by a gape‐limited predator of a marine snail: Insights into magic traits for speciation

Boulding

Rivas

González‐Lavín

et al. 2016

Ecology and Evolution

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The intertidal snail Littorina saxatilis has repeatedly evolved two parallel ecotypes assumed to be wave adapted and predatory shore crab adapted, but the magnitude and targets of predator‐driven selection are unknown. In Spain, a small, wave ecotype with a large aperture from the lower shore and a large, thick‐shelled crab ecotype from the upper shore meet in the mid‐shore and show partial size‐assortative mating. We performed complementary field tethering and laboratory predation experiments; the first set compared the survival of two different size‐classes of the crab ecotype while the second compared the same size‐class of the two ecotypes. In the first set, the large size‐class of the crab ecotype survived significantly better than the small size‐class both on the upper shore and in the laboratory. In the second set, the small size‐class of the crab ecotype survived substantially better than that of the wave ecotype both on the upper shore and in the laboratory. Shell‐breaking predation on tethered snails was almost absent within the lower shore. In the laboratory shore crabs (Pachygrapsus marmoratus) with larger claw heights selected most strongly against the small size‐class of the crab ecotype, whereas those with medium claw heights selected most strongly against the thin‐shelled wave ecotype. Sexual maturity occurred at a much larger size in the crab ecotype than in the wave ecotype. Our results showed that selection on the upper shore for rapid attainment of a size refuge from this gape‐limited predator favors large size, thick shells, and late maturity. Model parameterization showed that size‐selective predation restricted to the upper shore resulted in the evolution of the crab ecotype despite gene flow from the wave ecotype snails living on the lower shore. These results on gape‐limited predation and previous ones showing size‐assortative mating between ecotypes suggest that size may represent a magic trait for the thick‐shelled ecotype.

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Gape-Limited Predators as Agents of Selection on the Defensive Morphology of an Invasive Invertebrate

Abstract: Invasive species have widespread and pronounced effects on ecosystems and adaptive evolution of invaders is often

Cited by 19 publications

References 62 publications

Naive tadpoles do not recognize recent invasive predatory fishes as dangerous

Naive tadpoles do not recognize recent invasive predatory fishes as dangerous

Evolutionary stasis despite selection on a heritable trait in an invasive zooplankton

Size selection by a gape‐limited predator of a marine snail: Insights into magic traits for speciation

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