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Updated: Jun 6, 2026
10:20
Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
Climate warming and predation risk during herbivore ontogeny
1School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 370 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA. btbarton@wisc.edu
Ecology
|November 10, 2010
Summary
Climate change impacts species interactions differently across life stages. Warming alters predator-prey dynamics, reducing predation risk for grasshoppers and affecting plant communities.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Climate Change Biology
- Behavioral Ecology
Background:
- Climate change is altering species interactions and community dynamics.
- Ontogenetic shifts in behavior can modify the strength and nature of ecological interactions.
- Understanding how warming and predation risk affect herbivores across life stages is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the ontogenetic effects of warming and spider predation risk on grasshopper behavior and fitness.
- To determine how these factors influence trophic interactions within an ecological community.
- To quantify the impact on grasshopper reproductive success.
Main Methods:
- Examined grasshopper responses to warming and spider presence at different developmental stages.
- Assessed changes in diet (herb vs. grass proportion) and spatial distribution.
- Quantified effects on grasshopper growth and reproductive fitness.
- Measured spatial overlap between spiders and grasshoppers under different temperature conditions.
Main Results:
- Spiders induced grasshoppers to consume more herbs, benefiting grasses but harming herbs.
- Warming decreased spatial overlap between spiders and grasshoppers by altering spider behavior.
- Reduced predation risk under warming allowed increased grasshopper feeding time and negated negative fitness impacts.
- In ambient conditions, spiders reduced grasshopper fitness, but this effect disappeared under warming.
Conclusions:
- Ontogeny critically influences how climate change affects species interactions.
- Warming-induced behavioral shifts in predators can alter trophic cascades.
- Considering an individual's life stage is essential for predicting community-level responses to climate change.
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