Compensatory growth following transient intraguild predation risk in predatory mites

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Animal Behavior

Background:

• Compensatory growth is a common response to transient environmental stress in animals.
• Predation risk is a significant selective force influencing prey life history, often incurring growth costs.
• The impact of predation risk on compensatory growth strategies remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether transient intraguild predation (IGP) risk induces compensatory or catch-up growth in immature predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis).
• To determine if anti-predator behavior under predation risk can be balanced by subsequent accelerated development.

Main Methods:

• Larval stages of P. persimilis were exposed to varying levels of intraguild predation (IGP) risk: none, low, or high.
• Following the stress period, all mites were maintained under benign conditions during the protonymphal stage.
• Developmental duration, foraging activity, and size at maturity were monitored.

Main Results:

• High IGP risk significantly prolonged larval development in P. persimilis.
• This developmental delay was compensated in the protonymphal stage through increased foraging activity and accelerated development.
• Mites exposed to high IGP risk achieved optimal age and size at maturity, similar to controls.

Conclusions:

• Transient intraguild predation risk can induce compensatory growth in prey species.
• Prey can balance the developmental costs of anti-predator behaviors by enhancing growth post-stress.
• This study provides the first experimental evidence for compensatory growth in response to predation risk.