The effect of density and mutual interference by a Predator: A laboratory study of predation by the Nudibranch Coryphella rufibranchialis on the hydroid Tubularia larynx

MacLeod, Patricia; Valiela, Iván

doi:10.1007/bf00039581

Cited by 17 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…= 18) . density of predators is important, as mutual interference among predators may determine prey mortality(Has- sell, 1966 ;Wharton & Arlian, 1972 ;MacLeod & Valiela, 1975) .In general, the present results on dietary range are in broad agreement with the findings of other studies based on leeches from other geographical regions and/or…”

supporting

confidence: 82%

A laboratory study of the food of three species of leeches occurring in British lakes

Young

Ironmonger

1980

Hydrobiologia

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The food of lake-dwelling Erpobdella octoculata, Glossiphonia complanata and Helobdella stagnalis was determined by exposing potential prey organisms to leech attack in dishes, in the laboratory . For each prey species, four experimental regimes were used ; these contained prey and leeches of different sizes .E. octoculata fed extensively on chironomids and oligochaetes, G . complanata on gastropods, oligochaetes and chironomids, and H. stagnalis on a wide variety of prey, including oligochaetes, chironomids, gastropods, Asellus and mayflies . Feeding was most intense during periods of darkness . Findings are compared with those of previous studies .

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supporting

confidence: 82%

A laboratory study of the food of three species of leeches occurring in British lakes

Young

Ironmonger

1980

Hydrobiologia

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“…The results of this study suggest differences in the magnitude of the functional response resulting from predator density, such that prey mortality and predator foraging rates may be reduced within prey patches where predators aggregate. Other studies have shown that interference between predators is important to the outcome of interactions between predators and prey, and determines predator dispersion and prey persistence (Beddington 1975, MacLeod & Valiela 1975, Sih 1981, Eveleigh & Chant 1982, Ens & Goss-Custard 1984, Palumbi & Freed 1988. This study further indicates that predator density and interference may be impor-tant in the population dynamics of marine species, by affecting foraging rates and perhaps promoting cannibalism when alternative food resources are limited.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 59%

“…Both models fit the data well: there was an inverse relationship between feeding rate and predator density, indicating strong interference among these cannibalistic predators (Crowley & Martin 1989). MacLeod & Valiela (1975) found a similar trend of decreasing prey consumption with increasing predator density for nudibranch predators. At the highest predator density, nudibranchs spent more time in small inactive groups rather than actively searching for prey.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Density-dependent foraging and mutual interference in blue crabs preying upon infaunal clams

Mansour¹,

Lipcius²

1991

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

124

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ABSTRACT-Predator-prey dynamics between the blue crab Callinectes sapidus and an infaunal softshelled clam, Macoma balth~ca, were examined in laboratory experiments to assess the l o~n t effects of varying predator and prey densities upon predator foraging rates and prey survival. A full-factorial experimental design involved 2 prey densities (4 and 16 clams m-2) and 3 predator densities (1, 2 and 4 crabs m-2) with 6 trials per treatment combination. Blue crabs exhibited density-dependent foraging under all conditions: proportionally more clams were consumed at the higher clam density. Furthermore, at the higher crab densities mutual interference was evident in the incidence of wounds and deaths to crabs resulting from cannibalism or intraspecific aggression. Thus, the combined impact of varying crab and clam densities resulted in (1) the maintenance of a density-dependent refuge from blue crab predation for large infaunal clams, irrespective of crab density, and (2) intraspecific aggression resulting in injury and mortality of blue crabs at high crab densities. The collective results indicate that both predator and prey densities must be examined experimentally for their joint impact upon predator-prey dynamics in marine systems.

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“…This study has shown that, at the community level, hydrolds are capable of assimilating very large amounts of organic carbon. This source of carbon is exploited by small predators (McLeod & Valiela 1975) allowing transfer to higher trophic levels. The role of hydroids in coastal food webs be much may greater than previously believed.…”

Section: Digestion Timementioning

confidence: 99%

Trophic ecology of a benthic marine hydroid, Campanularia everta

Coma¹,

Gili²,

Zabala³

1995

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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The diet and prey capture rate were studied in Campanularia everta (Hydrozoa) in the western Mediterranean Sea during both a 1 yr period and a diel period. A sample of 20 colonies was collected from the thall~ of the alga Halirneda tuna every 2 wk, and the stomach content of 100 polyps was examined. The d~e t of C. everta consisted primarily (88%) of particulate organic matter between 30 and 80 pm in size (probably detritus). Zooplankton accounted for only 12% of the diet; the predominant prey items were crustacean eggs, larvae, and fragments, and as well as other benthic invertebrate larvae. In terms of biomass, zooplankton contributed 54% of the diet. The percentage of prey-containing polyps was rather constant at around 70'X over both the annual and diel cycles. Prey capture rates were quite high overall (between 0.6 and 2.7 prey items per polyp) and likewise the number of polyps with prey is remained high throughout the year, with maximum values in autumn and minimum values in summer. Digestion t~m c was less than 2 h Prey capture estimates were slightly fewer than 4000 prey m-2 d-l in summer and 800 000 prey m-' d-l in winter. Accordingly, C. everta may ingest a mean of 1925 pg C m-2 d.' in particulate organic matter and 2260 pg C m-' d -' in zooplankton each year, representing a total of 1528 mg (: m-2 yrrl Each pg C of polyps (somatic biomass) ingests a mean value of 69.6 1-19 C of prey per year. These figures suggest that the contribution of hydroids to the transfer of energy from the plankton to the benthos in littoral systems may be much hlgher than that suggested by hydroid biomass values themselves

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The effect of density and mutual interference by a Predator: A laboratory study of predation by the Nudibranch Coryphella rufibranchialis on the hydroid Tubularia larynx

Cited by 17 publications

References 15 publications

A laboratory study of the food of three species of leeches occurring in British lakes

A laboratory study of the food of three species of leeches occurring in British lakes

Density-dependent foraging and mutual interference in blue crabs preying upon infaunal clams

Trophic ecology of a benthic marine hydroid, Campanularia everta

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