Predator effects on terrestrial vertebrate prey: an integrated approach to responses at multiple scales

捕食者吓到的猎物多于杀死的猎物。猎杀猎物显然会减少它们的数量，但吓唬它们也会这样做吗？如果是这样，那么捕食者的存在对猎物数量的影响可能比从杀伤率猜测的要大得多。最大限度地减少外来或入侵捕食者的影响，对于保护众多濒危物种至关重要。萨内特博士的目标是，量化捕食者对陆生脊椎动物(鸟类和哺乳动物)猎物的全面影响，从而帮助制定有效的保护计划。尽管最近对昆虫和水生物种的研究表明，恐吓猎物可以比杀死它们更快地减少它们的数量，但鉴于鸟类和哺乳动物的行为灵活性更大，目前还不确定它们是否会出现同样的情况。萨内特博士已经证明鸣禽：1)遭受长期的压力，因为捕食者天生更多；2)只有在捕食者数量较少的情况下，才能显著增加它们的繁殖成功率；以及3)当接触到捕食者时，可能会产生比儿子少得多的女儿。她的这些发现和其他发现多次出现在国际科学媒体和大众媒体上。扎内特博士现在将采取关键的下一步行动，通过实验移除引进的(浣熊)和入侵的(褐头牛鸟)捕食者，以量化它们对猎物的所有影响，她在公元前南墨西哥湾群岛的S进行了这项研究。Zanette博士和她的学生将在歌雀和鹿鼠身上测试对成虫的生理、行为和生殖输出的影响，以及对幼崽的生长、发育和存活的影响。她和她的团队使用她设计的全球独一无二的数字视频系统来解决这些问题，这一系统使他们能够在行动中捕捉捕食者。多亏了这个系统，萨内特博士现在可以进行实验性的捕食者移除，因为像大多数其他陆地脊椎动物生态学家一样，她以前无法说出谁是主要的捕食者。除了解决基本的生态过程外，萨内特博士的研究还将用于规划新的南部湾群岛国家公园的引入/入侵捕食者缓解计划。

Predators scare more prey than they kill. Killing prey obviously reduces their number but does scaring them do so as well? If so, then the predator's presence may have a far greater impact on the prey population than could be guessed from the kill rate. Minimizing the impact of introduced or invasive predators is crucial to the conservation of numerous species at risk. Dr Zanette's objectives are to, quantify the full impact of predators on terrestrial vertebrate (bird and mammal) prey, and so aid in effective conservation planning. Though recent work on insects and aquatic species shows that scaring prey can reduce their numbers faster than killing them does, it is not certain the same will be found in birds and mammals given their greater behavioural flexibility. Dr Zanette has already shown that songbirds: 1) suffer chronic stress where predators are naturally more abundant; 2) can only dramatically increase their reproductive success in response to more food, where predators are less abundant; and 3) may produce far fewer daughters than sons when exposed to predators. These and other of her discoveries have been repeatedly featured in both the international scientific, and popular, media. Dr Zanette will now take the critical next step of experimentally removing both an introduced (raccoon) and an invasive (brown-headed cowbird) predator to quantify all of the impacts on their prey, in B.C.'s southern Gulf Islands, where she conducts her research. Dr Zanette and her students will test the effects on the physiology, behaviour and reproductive output of adults; and the growth, development and survival of their young; in both song sparrows and deer mice. She and her team are singularly able to address these questions using a globally-unique, digital video system she designed that allows them to catch predators in the act. It is thanks to this system that Dr Zanette can now proceed with experimental predator removals since, like most other terrestrial vertebrate ecologists, she was previously unable to say who the principal predators were. In addition to addressing fundamental ecological processes, Dr Zanette's research will be used in planning an introduced/invasive predator mitigation program for the new Southern Gulf Islands National Park.