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

人类活动，如生境修改、捕捞和物种引进，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会产生重大的生态和社会经济影响。然而，我们预测和管理捕食者丧失或引入对被捕食者种群对生态系统的影响的能力仍然有限。这项研究将把实验和数学方法结合起来，以改进现有的预测捕食者丧失或引入水生生态系统的后果的工具。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变化。这一阶段研究产生的数据将被用来测试现有和改进的模型预测捕食者对猎物种群和整个生态系统功能的长期后果的能力。总而言之，这项研究的结果将显著提高我们预测捕食者损失或入侵的后果的能力。该项目还将通过两种方式将教育与外联活动结合起来：1)调查人员将与高中教师合作，创建专注于捕食者-猎物相互作用的教学模块和现场实验室。2)研究人员将以导师的身份参加教师指导网络(NSF-量化本科生生物学教育与合成项目)。这个网络为全国各地的K-12教师和大学教职员工提供支持，帮助他们在课程中实施更严格的量化部分。此外，该研究还将为博士后、研究生和本科生提供研究培训。这个项目将支持一名早期职业研究员和两名主要在本科院校的研究人员。这项研究将通过关注多个捕食者的整体影响，提高我们预测捕食者丧失或引入如何影响猎物种群和影响其他生态系统功能的能力。这项研究将结合理论、统计和经验方法，将包括以下活动：1)实地调查，以测量岩石池塘中捕食者和猎物群落的密度、大小和物种组成。2)实验测量猎物的存活、繁殖力和生长作为猎物密度和大小、捕食者身份和食物来源的函数。3)利用野外观察到的数据和模式和实验，开发新的模型来预测出现的多重捕食者效应的流行率和大小。4)对现有模型和改进模型的预测进行了实验验证，以量化捕食者种类和功能多样性对岩石池食物网中捕食者种群动态的重要性。

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.