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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ftuglasgow:oai:eprints.gla.ac.uk:78390 2024-05-19T07:39:02+00:00 The functional response of a generalist predator Smout, S. Asseburg, C. Matthiopoulos, J. Fernández, C. Redpath, S. Thirgood, S. Harwood, J. 2010 text https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/78390/ https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/78390/1/78390.pdf en eng Public Library of Science https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/78390/1/78390.pdf Smout, S., Asseburg, C., Matthiopoulos, J. <http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/view/author/29488.html> , Fernández, C., Redpath, S., Thirgood, S. and Harwood, J. (2010) The functional response of a generalist predator. PLoS ONE <https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/view/journal_volume/PLoS_ONE.html>, 5(5), e10761. (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010761>) (PMID:20523722) (PMCID:PMC2877704) cc_by Articles PeerReviewed 2010 ftuglasgow https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 2024-05-01T14:03:38Z 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. Article in Journal/Newspaper Circus cyaneus University of Glasgow: Enlighten - Publications PLoS ONE 5 5 e10761 |
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University of Glasgow: Enlighten - Publications |
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ftuglasgow |
language |
English |
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. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Smout, S. Asseburg, C. Matthiopoulos, J. Fernández, C. Redpath, S. Thirgood, S. Harwood, J. |
spellingShingle |
Smout, S. Asseburg, C. Matthiopoulos, J. Fernández, C. Redpath, S. Thirgood, S. Harwood, J. The functional response of a generalist predator |
author_facet |
Smout, S. Asseburg, C. Matthiopoulos, J. Fernández, C. Redpath, S. Thirgood, S. Harwood, J. |
author_sort |
Smout, S. |
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 |
publisher |
Public Library of Science |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/78390/ https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/78390/1/78390.pdf |
genre |
Circus cyaneus |
genre_facet |
Circus cyaneus |
op_relation |
https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/78390/1/78390.pdf Smout, S., Asseburg, C., Matthiopoulos, J. <http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/view/author/29488.html> , Fernández, C., Redpath, S., Thirgood, S. and Harwood, J. (2010) The functional response of a generalist predator. PLoS ONE <https://eprints.gla.ac.uk/view/journal_volume/PLoS_ONE.html>, 5(5), e10761. (doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 <https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010761>) (PMID:20523722) (PMCID:PMC2877704) |
op_rights |
cc_by |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010761 |
container_title |
PLoS ONE |
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5 |
container_issue |
5 |
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e10761 |
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1799478556573564928 |