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Phylogenetic relatedness and ecological interactions determine antipredator behavior
Sarah Dalesman1, Simon D Rundle, David T Bilton
1Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, United Kingdom. sdalesman@plymouth.ac.uk
Ecology
|November 22, 2007
Summary
Prey animals like snails can recognize predator warnings from other species. This ability is influenced by how related the species are and whether they live together, showing local adaptation in antipredator responses.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Behavioral Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- Prey species often use alarm cues from other species to detect predators.
- This eavesdropping on heterospecific alarm cues may be influenced by evolutionary relatedness and local adaptation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how phylogenetic distance and population sympatry affect antipredator responses to heterospecific alarm cues in the freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis.
- To determine if local adaptation modifies innate antipredator responses to intraguild members.
Main Methods:
- Tested antipredator responses of Lymnaea stagnalis to alarm cues from conspecifics and 10 heterospecific gastropod species.
- Quantified responses based on phylogenetic distance and natural sympatry between species.
Main Results:
- Antipredator response magnitude decreased with increasing phylogenetic distance.
- Responses were significantly higher for sympatric species, indicating local adaptation.
- The relationship between genetic distance and alarm cue response was stronger with sympatric species.
Conclusions:
- Population sympatry plays a crucial role in shaping innate antipredator responses to heterospecific alarm cues.
- Phylogenetic relationships can be modified by local adaptation, influencing the reliability of alarm signal eavesdropping.
- Novel intraguild encounters due to species invasion may disadvantage native species lacking adaptation to new alarm cues.
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