Derivation of Predator Functional Responses Using a Mechanistic Approach in a Natural System
The functional response is at the core of any predator-prey interactions as it establishes the link between trophic levels. The use of inaccurate functional response can profoundly affect the outcomes of population and community models. Yet most functional responses are evaluated using phenomenologi...
Published in: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944/full |
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crfrontiers:10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 2024-05-19T07:33:51+00:00 Derivation of Predator Functional Responses Using a Mechanistic Approach in a Natural System Beardsell, Andréanne Gravel, Dominique Berteaux, Dominique Gauthier, Gilles Clermont, Jeanne Careau, Vincent Lecomte, Nicolas Juhasz, Claire-Cécile Royer-Boutin, Pascal Bêty, Joël Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies ArcticNet Polar Knowledge Canada W. Garfield Weston Foundation 2021 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944/full unknown Frontiers Media SA https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution volume 9 ISSN 2296-701X journal-article 2021 crfrontiers https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 2024-05-01T06:51:05Z The functional response is at the core of any predator-prey interactions as it establishes the link between trophic levels. The use of inaccurate functional response can profoundly affect the outcomes of population and community models. Yet most functional responses are evaluated using phenomenological models which often fail to discriminate among functional response shapes and cannot identify the proximate mechanisms regulating predator acquisition rates. Using a combination of behavioral, demographic, and experimental data collected over 20 years, we develop a mechanistic model based on species traits and behavior to assess the functional response of a generalist mammalian predator, the arctic fox ( Vulpes lagopus ), to various tundra prey species (lemmings and the nests of geese, passerines, and sandpipers). Predator acquisition rates derived from the mechanistic model were consistent with field observations. Although acquisition rates slightly decrease at high goose nest and lemming densities, none of our simulations resulted in a saturating response in all prey species. Our results highlight the importance of predator searching components in predator-prey interactions, especially predator speed, while predator acquisition rates were not limited by handling processes. By combining theory with field observations, our study provides support that the predator acquisition rate is not systematically limited at the highest prey densities observed in a natural system. Our study also illustrates how mechanistic models based on empirical estimates of the main components of predation can generate functional response shapes specific to the range of prey densities observed in the wild. Such models are needed to fully untangle proximate drivers of predator-prey population dynamics and to improve our understanding of predator-mediated interactions in natural communities. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Fox Arctic Tundra Vulpes lagopus Frontiers (Publisher) Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9 |
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The functional response is at the core of any predator-prey interactions as it establishes the link between trophic levels. The use of inaccurate functional response can profoundly affect the outcomes of population and community models. Yet most functional responses are evaluated using phenomenological models which often fail to discriminate among functional response shapes and cannot identify the proximate mechanisms regulating predator acquisition rates. Using a combination of behavioral, demographic, and experimental data collected over 20 years, we develop a mechanistic model based on species traits and behavior to assess the functional response of a generalist mammalian predator, the arctic fox ( Vulpes lagopus ), to various tundra prey species (lemmings and the nests of geese, passerines, and sandpipers). Predator acquisition rates derived from the mechanistic model were consistent with field observations. Although acquisition rates slightly decrease at high goose nest and lemming densities, none of our simulations resulted in a saturating response in all prey species. Our results highlight the importance of predator searching components in predator-prey interactions, especially predator speed, while predator acquisition rates were not limited by handling processes. By combining theory with field observations, our study provides support that the predator acquisition rate is not systematically limited at the highest prey densities observed in a natural system. Our study also illustrates how mechanistic models based on empirical estimates of the main components of predation can generate functional response shapes specific to the range of prey densities observed in the wild. Such models are needed to fully untangle proximate drivers of predator-prey population dynamics and to improve our understanding of predator-mediated interactions in natural communities. |
author2 |
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies ArcticNet Polar Knowledge Canada W. Garfield Weston Foundation |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Beardsell, Andréanne Gravel, Dominique Berteaux, Dominique Gauthier, Gilles Clermont, Jeanne Careau, Vincent Lecomte, Nicolas Juhasz, Claire-Cécile Royer-Boutin, Pascal Bêty, Joël |
spellingShingle |
Beardsell, Andréanne Gravel, Dominique Berteaux, Dominique Gauthier, Gilles Clermont, Jeanne Careau, Vincent Lecomte, Nicolas Juhasz, Claire-Cécile Royer-Boutin, Pascal Bêty, Joël Derivation of Predator Functional Responses Using a Mechanistic Approach in a Natural System |
author_facet |
Beardsell, Andréanne Gravel, Dominique Berteaux, Dominique Gauthier, Gilles Clermont, Jeanne Careau, Vincent Lecomte, Nicolas Juhasz, Claire-Cécile Royer-Boutin, Pascal Bêty, Joël |
author_sort |
Beardsell, Andréanne |
title |
Derivation of Predator Functional Responses Using a Mechanistic Approach in a Natural System |
title_short |
Derivation of Predator Functional Responses Using a Mechanistic Approach in a Natural System |
title_full |
Derivation of Predator Functional Responses Using a Mechanistic Approach in a Natural System |
title_fullStr |
Derivation of Predator Functional Responses Using a Mechanistic Approach in a Natural System |
title_full_unstemmed |
Derivation of Predator Functional Responses Using a Mechanistic Approach in a Natural System |
title_sort |
derivation of predator functional responses using a mechanistic approach in a natural system |
publisher |
Frontiers Media SA |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944/full |
genre |
Arctic Fox Arctic Tundra Vulpes lagopus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Fox Arctic Tundra Vulpes lagopus |
op_source |
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution volume 9 ISSN 2296-701X |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
container_volume |
9 |
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1799471905508425728 |