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Frequency-dependent selection by predators.

J A Allen1

  • 1Department of Biology, University of Southampton, U.K.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|July 6, 1988
PubMed
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Predators often target common prey, benefiting rarer varieties. This frequency-dependent selection, or apostatic selection, can maintain prey diversity, but more research on natural populations is needed.

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Behavioral Ecology

Background:

  • Predators often focus on abundant prey types, overlooking rare ones.
  • This predator behavior can lead to frequency-dependent selection, where prey fitness is inversely related to its population frequency.
  • A form of this, apostatic selection, is hypothesized to maintain prey polymorphism, particularly for color patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the concept of frequency-dependent selection in predator-prey dynamics.
  • To review evidence for apostatic selection maintaining prey polymorphism, primarily from studies using artificial prey and birds.
  • To identify factors influencing the strength of observed selection and suggest future research directions.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on predator-prey interactions and frequency-dependent selection.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of studies involving artificial prey and avian predators to understand selection pressures.
  • Examination of how prey characteristics like density, palatability, and conspicuousness affect selection.

    • Main Results:

    • Evidence suggests that predators hunting by sight can exert apostatic selection, favoring rare prey morphs.
    • The strength of this selection is influenced by prey density, palatability, coloration, and conspicuousness.
    • At very high prey densities, selection can reverse to 'anti-apostatic,' where rare prey are preferentially targeted.

    Conclusions:

    • Frequency-dependent (apostatic) selection by predators is a plausible mechanism for maintaining prey polymorphism.
    • Artificial prey studies provide substantial evidence, but research on natural polymorphic prey is limited.
    • Further investigation into natural systems is crucial to fully understand the ecological and evolutionary implications of frequency-dependent predation.