Nonconsumptive predator effects in a pelagic community: an integrated laboratory, field and modeling approach

远洋群落中的非消耗性捕食者效应：综合实验室、现场和建模方法

• 批准号: 0826020
• 负责人: Scott Peacor
• 金额: $ 49.67万
• 依托单位: Michigan State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-05-01 至 2014-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0826020&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Nonconsumptive; predator; effects; pelagic; community

This study will address a fundamental issue about how species interactions influence communities. Classical approaches, including the vast majority of experimental and modeling studies, focus on how species affect the density of other species through predator-prey interactions. This approach ignores a growing body of work that documents how prey modify their phenotype (traits) in response to predators to reduce predation risk, and how this, in turn, can profoundly influence the consequences of species interactions. There is abundant evidence that such nonconsumptive effects (NCEs, also trait-mediated or nonlethal) of predators could be important in pelagic Great Lakes and marine ecosystems. Whereas, the underlying mechanism is well known, there is little understanding of the influence of NCEs, and almost no studies of NCEs in large pelagic ecosystems. The existence of NCEs could strongly affect the qualitative and quantitative nature of species interactions and the properties of communities. This project will examine the role and operation of NCEs in marine and Great Lake systems. The investigators will examine NCEs caused by an invertebrate predator, the invasive spiny water flea Bythotrephes. The project will attempt to answer the broad questions: How do Bythotrephes induced effects on prey influence their net effect on Great Lakes communities? Are NCEs influential in complex field settings? What is the influence of NCEs of an invertebrate predator on the zooplankton prey assemblages or on the young-of-year fish competitors? How do factors such as resource level, temperature, and light affect the influence of a predator?s NCE on a prey assemblage (via effects on competition)? A comprehensive approach based on three objectives will be used that integrates laboratory studies, field surveys and modeling. The investigators will: (1) Determine the phenotypic responses of key zooplankton species to Bythothrephes. This will involve laboratory studies that examine behavioral, morphological and life history responses. Laboratory studies will also quantify Bythotrephes predation rates. Optimization modeling will guide and allow interpretation of these laboratory studies. (2) Develop predictive models of the NCEs of Bythothrephes on zooplankton prey growth rate and competitive outcomes and test predictions with microcosm and mesocosm experiments. This is a key methodological component: If models accurately predict induced trait changes, and their consequences to species interactions in mesocosm experiments, this increases the ability to form predictive models in natural systems. (3) Determine NCEs of Bythotrephese in the field using ecological models based on parameters derived from the aforementioned exercises and field surveys. Field surveys will examine the effect of Bythotrephes on zooplankton prey in the field, and classify abundances and parameters such as young of the year fish density and position and abiotic factors. Significant intellectual contributions will result from this study by addressing a key, but poorly understood, component of species interactions in Great Lakes and marine systems. Societal concern and interest over the influence of invasive species including Bythotrephes in Great Lakes food webs will facilitate educational outreach. In addition, close associations with institutions (e.g., the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, GLERL) will develop from the project and there will be strong outreach components that foster educational opportunities. For example, many individuals and groups from high schools and management agencies come to GLERL for education and training. Further, a Great Lakes Sea Grant Network extension educator has agreed to work to bridge the research with educators by helping the PIs engage with the Center for Ocean Sciences and Education Excellence Great Lakes (COSEE) Great Lakes and Sea Grant. The investigators on this project will work with professional educational outreach partners to enhance the broader impacts from the research. COSEE Great Lakes already has a framework in place to reach teachers throughout the region and includes an emphasis on underrepresented groups including tribal educators and COSEE and Sea Grant also are working on a variety of curriculum pieces. This project will contribute to these efforts. Finally, graduate and undergraduate training in research and outreach is part of this activity.

这项研究将解决一个关于物种相互作用如何影响群落的基本问题。经典方法，包括绝大多数实验和建模研究，重点关注物种如何通过捕食者与猎物的相互作用影响其他物种的密度。这种方法忽略了越来越多的工作，记录猎物如何修改其表型（性状），以应对捕食者，以减少捕食风险，以及这反过来又如何深刻影响物种相互作用的后果。有大量的证据表明，这种非消耗性的影响（NCEs，也是特征介导的或非致命的）的捕食者可能是重要的远洋五大湖和海洋生态系统。然而，潜在的机制是众所周知的，有一个小的理解，NCEs的影响，几乎没有大型远洋生态系统中的NCEs的研究。NCEs的存在会对物种间相互作用的定性和定量性质以及群落的性质产生强烈的影响。该项目将研究NCES在海洋和大湖系统中的作用和运作。研究人员将检查由无脊椎捕食者，入侵的多刺水蚤Bythotrephes引起的NCE。该项目将试图回答广泛的问题：Bythotrephes对猎物的诱导效应如何影响它们对五大湖社区的净效应？ 国家竞争性考试在复杂的领域环境中有影响力吗？ 无脊椎动物捕食者的NCEs对浮游动物猎物组合或对一年中鱼类竞争者的影响是什么？资源水平、温度和光照等因素如何影响捕食者的影响力？s NCE对猎物组合（通过对竞争的影响）？将采用基于三个目标的综合方法，将实验室研究、实地调查和建模相结合。 研究人员将：（1）确定关键浮游动物物种对Bythothrephes的表型反应。这将涉及实验室研究，检查行为，形态和生活史的反应。实验室研究也将量化Bythotrephes捕食率。优化建模将指导并解释这些实验室研究。(2)发展预测模型的NCEs的Bythothrephes浮游动物猎物的生长速度和竞争的结果和测试预测与微观和中观实验。这是一个关键的方法组成部分：如果模型准确地预测诱导性状的变化，以及它们对围隔实验中物种相互作用的影响，这将提高在自然系统中形成预测模型的能力。(3)使用基于上述练习和实地调查得出的参数的生态模型，确定Bythotrephese在实地的NCEs。实地调查将检查Bythotrephes对实地浮游动物猎物的影响，并对丰度和参数进行分类，如当年幼鱼密度和位置以及非生物因素。通过解决五大湖和海洋系统中物种相互作用的一个关键但知之甚少的组成部分，这项研究将产生重大的智力贡献。社会对包括Bythotrephes在内的入侵物种对五大湖食物网的影响的关注和兴趣将促进教育推广。此外，与机构的密切联系（例如，国家海洋和大气管理局五大湖环境研究实验室（GLERL）将从该项目中发展出来，并将有强有力的推广活动，以促进教育机会。例如，许多来自高中和管理机构的个人和团体来到GLERL接受教育和培训。此外，五大湖海洋赠款网络推广教育工作者已同意通过帮助PI参与海洋科学和教育卓越中心五大湖（COSEE）五大湖和海洋赠款，努力与教育工作者进行研究。该项目的研究人员将与专业教育外展合作伙伴合作，以增强该研究的更广泛影响。COSEE五大湖已经有了一个框架，可以接触到整个地区的教师，其中包括强调代表性不足的群体，包括部落教育工作者，COSEE和海洋赠款也正在制定各种课程。 该项目将有助于这些努力。最后，研究生和本科生在研究和推广方面的培训是这项活动的一部分。