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How (co)evolution alters predator responses to increased mortality: extinction thresholds and hydra effects
Michael H Cortez1, Masato Yamamichi2
1Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, 32306-4295, USA.
Ecology
|July 13, 2019
Summary
Evolution can help predator populations survive higher mortality rates by altering extinction thresholds. While evolution-driven hydra effects are less common, they are not rare and can be overlooked in ecological models.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Theoretical Ecology
Background:
- Population dynamics are influenced by ecological interactions and species' evolutionary adaptations.
- Environmental changes can significantly impact species survival and population stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how evolutionary changes in prey and predators affect predator population responses to increased mortality.
- To analyze the impact of evolution on the predator extinction threshold and predator hydra effects.
Main Methods:
- Utilized an eco-evolutionary predator-prey model.
- Examined individual and interactive effects of prey and predator evolution.
- Defined predator extinction threshold and predator hydra effects within the model.
Main Results:
- Evolutionary responses in prey or predators commonly increase the predator extinction threshold, allowing persistence at higher mortality rates.
- Evolution-driven hydra effects were predicted to occur in a minority of systems but are not rare.
- Reanalysis of existing models revealed that evolutionary effects on extinction thresholds and hydra effects are often overlooked.
Conclusions:
- Evolution plays a crucial role in determining population persistence under environmental stress.
- Understanding eco-evolutionary dynamics is vital for accurate ecological predictions and conservation strategies.
- Evolutionary rescue may be a more common phenomenon than previously recognized.
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