The functional response of a generalist predator
Background: Predators can have profound impacts on the dynamics of their prey that depend on how predator consumption is affected by prey density (the predator's functional response). Consumption by a generalist predator is expected to depend on the densities of all its major prey species (its...
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ftstandrewserep:oai:research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk:10023/3269 2024-06-23T07:52:10+00:00 The functional response of a generalist predator Smout, Sophie Caroline Asseburg, C Matthiopoulos, Jason Fernández, Carmen Redpath, S Thirgood, S Harwood, John University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews. School of Mathematics and Statistics University of St Andrews. School of Biology University of St Andrews. Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit 2012-11-27T14:43:01Z 218527 application/pdf https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3269 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77956292866&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng PLoS ONE 470953 e6cf5d9f-9551-4032-ad59-50e11fa922e1 000278221900006 77956292866 Smout , S C , Asseburg , C , Matthiopoulos , J , Fernández , C , Redpath , S , Thirgood , S & Harwood , J 2010 , ' The functional response of a generalist predator ' , PLoS ONE , vol. 5 , no. 5 , e10761 . https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 1932-6203 standrews_research_output: 32379 https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3269 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77956292866&partnerID=8YFLogxK QL Zoology QA Mathematics QL QA Journal article 2012 ftstandrewserep https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 2024-06-11T23:58:14Z Background: Predators can have profound impacts on the dynamics of their prey that depend on how predator consumption is affected by prey density (the predator's functional response). Consumption by a generalist predator is expected to depend on the densities of all its major prey species (its multispecies functional response, or MSFR), but most studies of generalists have focussed on their functional response to only one prey species. Methodology and principal findings: Using Bayesian methods, we fit an MSFR to field data from an avian predator (the hen harrier Circus cyaneus) feeding on three different prey species. We use a simple graphical approach to show that ignoring the effects of alternative prey can give a misleading impression of the predator's effect on the prey of interest. For example, in our system, a “predator pit” for one prey species only occurs when the availability of other prey species is low. Conclusions and significance: The Bayesian approach is effective in fitting the MSFR model to field data. It allows flexibility in modelling over-dispersion, incorporates additional biological information into the parameter priors, and generates estimates of uncertainty in the model's predictions. These features of robustness and data efficiency make our approach ideal for the study of long-lived predators, for which data may be sparse and management/conservation priorities pressing. Peer reviewed Article in Journal/Newspaper Circus cyaneus University of St Andrews: Digital Research Repository PLoS ONE 5 5 e10761 |
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Open Polar |
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University of St Andrews: Digital Research Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftstandrewserep |
language |
English |
topic |
QL Zoology QA Mathematics QL QA |
spellingShingle |
QL Zoology QA Mathematics QL QA Smout, Sophie Caroline Asseburg, C Matthiopoulos, Jason Fernández, Carmen Redpath, S Thirgood, S Harwood, John The functional response of a generalist predator |
topic_facet |
QL Zoology QA Mathematics QL QA |
description |
Background: Predators can have profound impacts on the dynamics of their prey that depend on how predator consumption is affected by prey density (the predator's functional response). Consumption by a generalist predator is expected to depend on the densities of all its major prey species (its multispecies functional response, or MSFR), but most studies of generalists have focussed on their functional response to only one prey species. Methodology and principal findings: Using Bayesian methods, we fit an MSFR to field data from an avian predator (the hen harrier Circus cyaneus) feeding on three different prey species. We use a simple graphical approach to show that ignoring the effects of alternative prey can give a misleading impression of the predator's effect on the prey of interest. For example, in our system, a “predator pit” for one prey species only occurs when the availability of other prey species is low. Conclusions and significance: The Bayesian approach is effective in fitting the MSFR model to field data. It allows flexibility in modelling over-dispersion, incorporates additional biological information into the parameter priors, and generates estimates of uncertainty in the model's predictions. These features of robustness and data efficiency make our approach ideal for the study of long-lived predators, for which data may be sparse and management/conservation priorities pressing. Peer reviewed |
author2 |
University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews. School of Mathematics and Statistics University of St Andrews. School of Biology University of St Andrews. Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Smout, Sophie Caroline Asseburg, C Matthiopoulos, Jason Fernández, Carmen Redpath, S Thirgood, S Harwood, John |
author_facet |
Smout, Sophie Caroline Asseburg, C Matthiopoulos, Jason Fernández, Carmen Redpath, S Thirgood, S Harwood, John |
author_sort |
Smout, Sophie Caroline |
title |
The functional response of a generalist predator |
title_short |
The functional response of a generalist predator |
title_full |
The functional response of a generalist predator |
title_fullStr |
The functional response of a generalist predator |
title_full_unstemmed |
The functional response of a generalist predator |
title_sort |
functional response of a generalist predator |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3269 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77956292866&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
genre |
Circus cyaneus |
genre_facet |
Circus cyaneus |
op_relation |
PLoS ONE 470953 e6cf5d9f-9551-4032-ad59-50e11fa922e1 000278221900006 77956292866 Smout , S C , Asseburg , C , Matthiopoulos , J , Fernández , C , Redpath , S , Thirgood , S & Harwood , J 2010 , ' The functional response of a generalist predator ' , PLoS ONE , vol. 5 , no. 5 , e10761 . https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 1932-6203 standrews_research_output: 32379 https://hdl.handle.net/10023/3269 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77956292866&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 |
container_title |
PLoS ONE |
container_volume |
5 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
e10761 |
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1802643408841342976 |