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Predator-Prey Interactions02:39

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Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.
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Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
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When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
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There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...
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Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
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Urbanisation alters ecological interactions: Ant mutualists increase and specialist insect predators decrease on an

Elise A Rocha1, Mark D E Fellowes2

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Urbanization impacts species interactions, particularly affecting specialist predators and mutualistic relationships. Green spaces in urban areas are crucial for supporting biodiversity and ecological balance.

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Area of Science:

  • Urban ecology
  • Ecology of species interactions
  • Conservation biology

Background:

  • Urbanization alters habitats, potentially impacting species interactions by filtering specialists and higher trophic levels.
  • Empirical evidence on these urban effects on species interactions is limited.
  • Understanding these impacts is crucial for urban biodiversity conservation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how urban land uses affect predator-prey and mutualistic interactions.
  • To determine how specialist and generalist predators respond to the size and availability of urban green spaces.
  • To assess the indirect effects of urbanization on aphid populations via mutualistic interactions.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental monitoring of ant-attended (Black bean aphid) and non-ant-attended (Pea aphid) colonies over two years in a UK town.
  • Quantification of ant presence and plant diversity across different urban land uses.
  • Assessment of predator abundance and specialization in relation to urban green space availability.

Main Results:

  • Ants were more frequent in highly urbanized sites, but mutualistic ant presence correlated with plant diversity.
  • Aphid populations were unaffected by direct urban land use but indirectly influenced by urbanization through mutualists.
  • Predators, especially specialist species, were negatively affected by increased urbanization, though specialists showed a positive relationship with green space proportion.

Conclusions:

  • Urbanization negatively impacts specialist predators, supporting existing hypotheses.
  • Mutualistic interactions are significantly affected by urbanization, highlighting a critical pathway for ecological disruption.
  • Urban green space management is essential for mitigating negative impacts on biodiversity and ecological functions.