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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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:68028db60b7846b486fc431cd34ab39b 2023-05-15T14:31:09+02:00 Derivation of Predator Functional Responses Using a Mechanistic Approach in a Natural System Andréanne Beardsell Dominique Gravel Dominique Berteaux Gilles Gauthier Jeanne Clermont Vincent Careau Nicolas Lecomte Claire-Cécile Juhasz Pascal Royer-Boutin Joël Bêty 2021-03-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 https://doaj.org/article/68028db60b7846b486fc431cd34ab39b EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-701X 2296-701X doi:10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 https://doaj.org/article/68028db60b7846b486fc431cd34ab39b Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Vol 9 (2021) functional response predation trophic interactions tundra predator-prey interactions arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 2022-12-31T07:48:01Z 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 Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
functional response predation trophic interactions tundra predator-prey interactions arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
functional response predation trophic interactions tundra predator-prey interactions arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5 Andréanne Beardsell Dominique Gravel Dominique Berteaux Gilles Gauthier Jeanne Clermont Vincent Careau Nicolas Lecomte Claire-Cécile Juhasz Pascal Royer-Boutin Joël Bêty Derivation of Predator Functional Responses Using a Mechanistic Approach in a Natural System |
topic_facet |
functional response predation trophic interactions tundra predator-prey interactions arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
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. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Andréanne Beardsell Dominique Gravel Dominique Berteaux Gilles Gauthier Jeanne Clermont Vincent Careau Nicolas Lecomte Claire-Cécile Juhasz Pascal Royer-Boutin Joël Bêty |
author_facet |
Andréanne Beardsell Dominique Gravel Dominique Berteaux Gilles Gauthier Jeanne Clermont Vincent Careau Nicolas Lecomte Claire-Cécile Juhasz Pascal Royer-Boutin Joël Bêty |
author_sort |
Andréanne Beardsell |
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 S.A. |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 https://doaj.org/article/68028db60b7846b486fc431cd34ab39b |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Fox Arctic Tundra Vulpes lagopus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Fox Arctic Tundra Vulpes lagopus |
op_source |
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Vol 9 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-701X 2296-701X doi:10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 https://doaj.org/article/68028db60b7846b486fc431cd34ab39b |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2021.630944 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
container_volume |
9 |
_version_ |
1766304850587418624 |