Collaborative Research: Linking predator functional diversity to prey dynamics through the functional response

人类活动，如生境改造，收获和物种引进正在迅速改变水生和陆地生态系统中捕食者的类型和数量。捕食者群落的这些变化可能产生重大的生态和社会经济影响。然而，我们的能力，预测和管理的影响，捕食者的损失或引入猎物种群的生态系统仍然有限。 这项研究将整合实验和数学方法，以改进现有的工具来预测捕食者在水生生态系统中消失或引入的后果。研究人员将在溪流中的岩石池中进行一系列观察和实验，以记录猎物对多种捕食者种群变化的反应。这些反应包括猎物死亡率的模式，以及猎物行为或形态的改变。该阶段研究产生的数据将用于测试现有和改进的模型预测捕食者对猎物种群和整体生态系统功能的长期后果的能力。 总的来说，这项研究的结果将大大提高我们预测捕食者损失或入侵后果的能力。该项目还将通过两种方式将教育与推广活动结合起来：1）调查人员将与高中教师合作，创建教学模块和实地实验室，重点是捕食者与猎物的相互作用。2)研究人员将作为导师参加教师指导网络（NSF-定量本科生物学教育和综合项目）。该网络为全国各地的K-12教师和大学教师提供支持，以在他们的课程中实施更严格的定量组成部分。此外，该研究将为博士后，研究生和本科生提供研究培训。 该项目将支持一名早期职业研究员和两名主要是本科院校的研究员。该研究将通过关注多种捕食者的整体影响，提高我们预测捕食者的丧失或引入如何影响猎物种群并影响其他生态系统功能的能力。这项研究将结合联合收割机的理论，统计和经验的方法，并将包括以下活动：1）实地调查，以测量密度，规模和物种组成的捕食者和猎物社区在岩石池。 2)实验测量猎物的生存，繁殖力和生长作为猎物密度和大小，捕食者身份和食物资源的函数。3)利用在野外和实验中观察到的数据和模式，开发新的模型来预测突发性多捕食者效应的流行程度和幅度。4)实验测试预测现有的和改进的模型，以量化的重要性，捕食物种和功能多样性的猎物种群动态在岩石池食物网。

Human activities such as habitat modification, harvesting and species introductions are rapidly changing the type and number of predators in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. These changes in predator communities can have significant ecological and socio-economic impacts. However, our ability to predict and manage the effect of predator loss or introduction on prey populations on ecosystems remains limited. This study will integrate experimental and mathematical approaches to improve existing tools for predicting the consequences of predator loss or introduction in aquatic ecosystems. The investigators will conduct a series of observations and experiments in rock pools in streams to document the responses of prey to changes to multiple predator populations. The responses include patterns of prey mortality, and alterations in prey behavior or morphology. The data generated from this phase of the study will be used to test the ability of existing and improved models to predict the long- term consequences of predators on prey populations and overall ecosystem function. Collectively, the results of this research will significantly advance our ability to predict the consequences of predator loss or invasion. The project will also integrate education with outreach activities in two ways: 1) The investigators will partner with high school teachers to create teaching modules and field labs focusing on predator-prey interactions. 2) The investigators will participate as mentors in a faculty-mentoring network (NSF-Quantitative Undergraduate Biology Education and Synthesis project). This network provides support to K-12 teachers and college faculty around the country seeking to implement more rigorous quantitative components in their courses. Additionally, the study will provide research training for post-doctoral, graduate and undergraduate students. This project will support an early career investigator, and two investigators at primarily undergraduate institutions.This research will advance our ability to predict how predator loss or introduction affect prey populations and influence other ecosystem functions by focusing on the overall effect of multiple predators. The study will combine theoretical, statistical and empirical approaches and will include the following activities: 1) Field surveys to measure density, size and species composition of predator and prey communities in rocky pools. 2) Experiments to measure prey survival, fecundity and growth as functions of prey density and size, predator identity and food resources. 3) Use of the data and patterns observed in the field and experiments to develop new models for predicting prevalence and magnitude of emergent multiple predator effects. 4) Experimentally test predictions of the existing and improved models to quantify the importance of predator species and functional diversity on prey population dynamics in rock pool food webs.