Search results for "Predator"
showing 10 items of 349 documents
Effect of pentachlorophenol on predator-prey interaction of two rotifers
1997
Abstract The effect of pentachlorophenol (PCP) on the predator-prey relationship of two rotifers (Asplanchna girodi and Brachionus calyciflorus) was studied using Asplanchna predatory behavior as an endpoint. The experimental design included three treatments: prey and predator exposure, only prey exposure, and only predator exposure. This enabled us to distinguish toxic effects on the predator from those on the prey and to detect interactions. The main toxic effects observed were on the predator and involved the number of predator-prey encounters. Encounters decreased in a dose-dependent manner, with a no observed effect threshold at 0.11 mg PCP l−1. Decrease in encounter rate reduced the n…
The advantage of alternative tactics of prey and predators depends on the spatial pattern of prey and social interactions among predators
2011
Individual variation in behavioral strategies is ubiquitous in nature. Yet, explaining how this variation is being maintained remains a challenging task. We use a spatially-explicit individual-based simulation model to evaluate the extent to which the efficiency of an alternative spacing tactic of prey and an alternative search tactic of predators are influenced by the spatial pattern of prey, social interactions among predators (i.e., interference and information sharing) and predator density. In response to predation risk, prey individuals can either spread out or aggregate. We demonstrate that if prey is extremely clumped, spreading out may help when predators share information regarding…
Analysis of a herpetofaunal community from an altered marshy area in Sicily; with special remarks on habitat use (niche breadth and overlap), relativ…
2005
A field survey was conducted in a highly degraded barren environment in Sicily in order to investigate herpetofaunal community composition and structure, habitat use (niche breadth and overlap) and relative abundance of a snake predator and two species of lizard prey. The site was chosen because it has a simple community structure and thus there is potentially less ecological complexity to cloud any patterns observed. We found an unexpectedly high overlap in habitat use between the two closely related lizards that might be explained either by a high competition for space or through predator-mediated co-existence i.e. the prevention of the competitive exclusion of one lizard over the other. …
Conditions for the spread of conspicuous warning signals: A numerical model with novel insights
2007
The initial evolution of conspicuous warning signals presents an evolutionary problem because selection against rare conspicuous signals is presumed to be strong, and new signals are rare when they first arise. Several possible solutions have been offered to solve this apparent evolutionary paradox, but disagreement persists over the plausibility of some of the proposed mechanisms. In this paper, we construct a deterministic numerical simulation model that allows us to derive the strength of selection on novel warning signals in a wide range of biologically relevant situations. We study the effects of predator psychology (learning, rate of mistaken attacks, and neophobia) on selection. We a…
Effects of fish feeding by snorkellers on the density and size distribution of fishes in a Mediterranean marine protected area
2005
Although there is a great deal of evidence to show that supplementary feeding by humans in terrestrial environments causes pronounced changes in the distribution and behaviour of wild animals, at present very little is known about the potential for such effects on marine fish. This study evaluated the consequences of feeding by snorkellers on fish assemblages in the no-take area of the Ustica Island marine protected area (MPA; western Mediterranean) by (1) determining if reef fish assemblage structure is affected in space and time by tourists feeding the fish; (2) assessing the effects of feeding on the abundance of the most common fish species; and (3) assessing the effects of feeding on t…
Feeding habits of the spotted flounder Citharus linguatula off the eastern coast of Spain
1994
The composition of the diet of Citharus linguatula (L.) off the coast of the Gulf of Valencia, Spain, was determined between October 1989 and October 1990. The percentage of empty stomachs remained constant throughout the year, except for the period August to September, when a maximum was recorded coinciding with the reproductive period. Crustaceans (Mysidacea and Decapoda) and teleosts constituted the main prey. The composition of the prey ingested varied with predator size; small specimens contained a greater number of mysids in their stomachs, while decapods and fishes were more abundant in the stomachs of larger specimens. Diets varied seasonally: mysids were more important during autum…
Individual and Environmental Determinants of Daily Black Grouse Nest Survival Rates at Variable Predator Densities
2010
Nest predation in ground nesting black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) inhabiting managed boreal forests is arguably the single most important cause of nesting failure. Little is known, however, about indirect effects of other factors, such as maternal or environmental properties, and to what extent maternal and habitat qualities interact with varying levels of predator densities. Using an information-theoretical approach, we studied maternal and environmental determinants of daily nest survival rates under variable predator densities of 210 individual black grouse hens in central Finland. Environmental determinants were far more important than maternal ones, and the effects were more apparent at hi…
The Impact of Human Recreational Activities in Marine Protected Areas: What Lessons Should Be Learnt in the Mediterranean Sea?
2002
. The aesthetic appeal of marine reserves and the facilities provided, together with the increased public awareness of nature, all contribute to creating massive tourism in MPAs. Human activities are being changed inside MPAs in two ways: humans as top predators are generally being removed, but in turn they could come back at great numbers as visitors. Many authors have studied the impact of visitors, and the results highlight that the consequences can be very substantial and may represent a severe threat to the overall diversity of marine communities. To date, the documented effects of human recreational activities on natural communities are restricted to assessing the consequences of tram…
Beetles (Coleoptera) caught with pheromones of Gnathotrichus retusus and G. sulcatus (Col., Scolytidae) in southern Finland
2001
The ambrosia beetle Gnathotrichus materiarius, which originally came from North America, was discovered in southern Finland in 1996. In 1997, using Norwegian drainpipe traps baited with pheromones of Gnathotrichus retusus and G. sulcatus, we collected beetles in the region where the first specimen had been caught in order to determine whether this potential pest species had become established in the area. Samples from a total of 16 traps included 79 species of beetles and 719 individuals, but no specimens of G. materiarius. The most abundant species in the samples were the ambrosia beetles Xyleborus dispar and Trypodendron lineatum. Several predators and other associates of bark beetles wer…
On basins of attraction for a predator-prey model via meshless approximation
2016
Abstract. In this work an epidemiological predator-prey model is studied. It analyzes the spread of an infectious disease with frequency-dependent and vertical transmission within the predator population. In particular we consider social predators, i.e. they cooperate in groups to hunt. The result is a three-dimensional system in which the predator population is divided into susceptible and infected individuals. Studying the dynamical system and bifurcation diagrams, a scenario was identified in which the model shows multistability but the domain of attraction of one equilibrium point can be so small that it is almost the point itself. From a biological point of view it is important to anal…