Predator-prey networks, defensive alkaloids

在“物种相互作用网络的重组”研究单元内，“捕食者-猎物网络，防御性生物碱”子项目侧重于生物碱在形成青蛙与其猎物之间的营养网络中的作用。生物碱在植物和各种节肢动物群体中作为防御化学物质发挥重要作用，蚂蚁和甲螨。然而，箭毒蛙会将猎物身上的生物碱隔离在自己的皮肤上。它们的生活史取决于大多数掠食者的不快，因此是猎物专家。相比之下，大多数其他青蛙是猎物通才。我们将评估的可利用性，含节肢动物和猎物谱的毒药和无毒无尾类沿着森林恢复时序。我们预计，无尾两栖类猎物网络的重组（恢复）的准确性和速度直接与依赖性和可用性的生物碱含有猎物物种。此外，我们将比较节肢动物猎物物种的生物碱配置文件与青蛙的皮肤，从而跟踪各自的青蛙物种的生物碱营养转移的个人路线。

Within the research unit "Reassembly of species interaction networks", the subprojet "Predator-prey networks, defensive alkaloids" focuses on the role of alkaloids in shaping trophic networks between frogs and their prey. Alkaloids play an important role as defensive chemicals in plants and various arthropod groups, i.e., ants and oribatid mites. However, poison dart frogs sequester alkaloids from their prey to their own skin. Their life-history depends on being unpalatable to most predators, and thus on being prey specialists. In contrast, most other frogs are prey generalists. We will assess the availability of alkaloid-containing arthropods and the prey spectrum of poisons and non-poisons anurans along a forest recovery chronosequence. We expect that accuracy and speed of reassembly (recovery) of anuran-prey networks is directly linked to the dependency on and availability of alkaloid containing prey species. In addition, we will compare alkaloid profiles of arthropod prey species with those from the frogs’ skins, and thus track the individual routes of alkaloid trophic transfers for the respective frog species.