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The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system

John Griffin Orcid Logo

Journal of Animal Ecology, Volume: 84, Issue: 6, Pages: 1610 - 1617

Swansea University Author: John Griffin Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1111/1365-2656.12403

Abstract

Theory and experiments show that the nature of ‘green’ trophic cascades, between predators, herbivores and plants, varies with several key species traits: predator hunting mode and predator and prey habitat domains. Meanwhile, ‘brown’ cascades between predators, environment-modifying detritivores an...

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Published in: Journal of Animal Ecology
Published: 2015
Online Access: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2656.12403/full
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa31867
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spelling 2017-02-06T12:50:10.7282768 v2 31867 2017-02-06 The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system 9814fbffa76dd9c9a207166354cd0b2f 0000-0003-3295-6480 John Griffin John Griffin true false 2017-02-06 SBI Theory and experiments show that the nature of ‘green’ trophic cascades, between predators, herbivores and plants, varies with several key species traits: predator hunting mode and predator and prey habitat domains. Meanwhile, ‘brown’ cascades between predators, environment-modifying detritivores and plants have been largely overlooked and the roles of species traits, particularly prey traits, in determining the nature of these cascades remains unclear.We hypothesize that, in predator–detritivore–plant interaction chains, the burrowing ability of plant-facilitating detritivores determines their response to predators and thus the sign of indirect effect transmitted. In the dung-decomposer food web of an alpine meadow, we predicted that in the presence of above-ground predacious beetles: (i) non-burrowing detritivores will suffer mortality due to predation and transmit negative indirect effects to plants, whereas (ii) burrowing detritivores will escape predation by retreating deeper into the soil, transmitting positive indirect effects to plants.In support of predictions, experiments showed that a single species of predacious beetle (i) reduced the density of the non-burrowing species and indirectly reduced dung loss rate, soil nutrient concentrations and plant biomass, but (ii) drove the burrowing species deeper, indirectly improved soil conditions and increased plant biomass.These results show that the burrowing ability of a detritivore can determine whether it transmits a negative indirect effect mediated by a reduction in its density, or a positive indirect effect mediated by its behavioural response to predation risk.We call for further tests of our detritivore-trait hypothesis in different regions and ecosystems to further develop a general trait-based framework for trophic cascades in detrital food webs. We further advance the general hypothesis that the locomotion traits of prey species (e.g. burrowing/flying ability) may help explain their behavioural response to predation risk and the nature of indirect effect they transmit from predators to plants. Journal Article Journal of Animal Ecology 84 6 1610 1617 alpine meadow, density-mediated indirect interactions, detrital food web, dungbeetle, trait-mediated indirect interactions, trophic interaction 1 11 2015 2015-11-01 10.1111/1365-2656.12403 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2656.12403/full COLLEGE NANME Biosciences COLLEGE CODE SBI Swansea University 2017-02-06T12:50:10.7282768 2017-02-06T12:50:10.7282768 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences John Griffin 0000-0003-3295-6480 1
title The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system
spellingShingle The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system
John Griffin
title_short The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system
title_full The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system
title_fullStr The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system
title_full_unstemmed The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system
title_sort The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system
author_id_str_mv 9814fbffa76dd9c9a207166354cd0b2f
author_id_fullname_str_mv 9814fbffa76dd9c9a207166354cd0b2f_***_John Griffin
author John Griffin
author2 John Griffin
format Journal article
container_title Journal of Animal Ecology
container_volume 84
container_issue 6
container_start_page 1610
publishDate 2015
institution Swansea University
doi_str_mv 10.1111/1365-2656.12403
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences
url http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2656.12403/full
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description Theory and experiments show that the nature of ‘green’ trophic cascades, between predators, herbivores and plants, varies with several key species traits: predator hunting mode and predator and prey habitat domains. Meanwhile, ‘brown’ cascades between predators, environment-modifying detritivores and plants have been largely overlooked and the roles of species traits, particularly prey traits, in determining the nature of these cascades remains unclear.We hypothesize that, in predator–detritivore–plant interaction chains, the burrowing ability of plant-facilitating detritivores determines their response to predators and thus the sign of indirect effect transmitted. In the dung-decomposer food web of an alpine meadow, we predicted that in the presence of above-ground predacious beetles: (i) non-burrowing detritivores will suffer mortality due to predation and transmit negative indirect effects to plants, whereas (ii) burrowing detritivores will escape predation by retreating deeper into the soil, transmitting positive indirect effects to plants.In support of predictions, experiments showed that a single species of predacious beetle (i) reduced the density of the non-burrowing species and indirectly reduced dung loss rate, soil nutrient concentrations and plant biomass, but (ii) drove the burrowing species deeper, indirectly improved soil conditions and increased plant biomass.These results show that the burrowing ability of a detritivore can determine whether it transmits a negative indirect effect mediated by a reduction in its density, or a positive indirect effect mediated by its behavioural response to predation risk.We call for further tests of our detritivore-trait hypothesis in different regions and ecosystems to further develop a general trait-based framework for trophic cascades in detrital food webs. We further advance the general hypothesis that the locomotion traits of prey species (e.g. burrowing/flying ability) may help explain their behavioural response to predation risk and the nature of indirect effect they transmit from predators to plants.
published_date 2015-11-01T03:38:58Z
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