Prey naiveté alters the balance of consumptive and non‐consumptive predator effects and shapes trophic cascades in freshwater plankton

Baker, Henry K.; Li, Stephanie S.; Samu, Stefan C.; Jones, Natalie T.; Symons, Celia C.; Shurin, Jonathan B.

doi:10.1111/oik.09173

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

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“…Tadpole densities and body sizes were not significantly different across treatments, and thus density‐ and size‐dependent effects on tadpole–invertebrate competition should have been similar. Also, in invertebrate communities experiencing predation risk, the influence of competition on invertebrate prey traits and population sizes is minimal relative to the influences of CEs and NCEs (Baker et al, 2022), and thus predatory effects of tadpoles likely outweighed influences of tadpole–invertebrate competition. Future studies using purely carnivorous species would be useful in eliminating the confounding influences of competition and predation on invertebrate prey and providing direct comparisons of the relative strengths of CEs and NCEs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Consumptive and nonconsumptive effects of omnivorous tadpoles on aquatic invertebrate communities

Parlato

Mott

2023

Ecosphere

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Consumptive effects (CEs) of predation have been well-studied in most aquatic systems, but nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) on prey have only recently received limited attention. As aquatic consumers, tadpoles have traditionally been considered strict herbivores, leaving their predatory impacts via CEs and NCEs largely unexplored. We quantified omnivory among wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpoles and characterized their CEs and NCEs on invertebrate communities. Tadpoles from natural ponds were dissected to quantify the frequency of omnivory generally, as well as specifically in relation to pond size and tadpole morphology. Additional tadpoles were employed in a mesocosm experiment that manipulated tadpole presence (absent, caged, or free-swimming) to quantify CEs and NCEs on freshwater zooplankton and macroinvertebrate communities. Over 70% of tadpoles in natural ponds engaged in omnivory, primarily on zooplankton, and tadpoles with wider heads and deeper tails were more likely to be omnivorous. Tadpoles in mesocosms exhibited CEs and NCEs on invertebrate communities, with stronger effects exerted on zooplankton than macroinvertebrates. The NCEs of tadpoles on invertebrates likely included production of predatory chemical cues that influenced invertebrate behavior, abundance, and community composition. Because tadpoles are often the dominant vertebrate predators in ephemeral aquatic ecosystems, this study stresses their ecological importance in structuring aquatic communities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%