Threat to the predator suppresses defence of its prey
Many studies have shown that prey can optimize their defence mechanisms based on cues indicating predator presence and pressure. However, little is known about whether prey can assess the actual threat by considering both predator density and the motivational state of cannibalistic predators, which...
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| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241711 |
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| author | Monika Sysiak Piotr Maszczyk Andrzej Mikulski |
| author_facet | Monika Sysiak Piotr Maszczyk Andrzej Mikulski |
| author_sort | Monika Sysiak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many studies have shown that prey can optimize their defence mechanisms based on cues indicating predator presence and pressure. However, little is known about whether prey can assess the actual threat by considering both predator density and the motivational state of cannibalistic predators, which can be influenced by threats from higher order predators. We conducted laboratory experiments to test the hypothesis that high predator density, combined with chemical cues indicating predator stress (e.g. alarm and disturbance cues), may inhibit prey defences. Using Daphnia and Zygoptera/Anisoptera larvae, we observed that Daphnia’s strong response to low-density predator kairomones was suppressed when exposed to high-density predator kairomones and disturbance cues. Surprisingly, we found no evidence of a suppressive response to alarm cues. Our study is to our knowledge, the first to show that prey uses predator stress cues to avoid unnecessary defences, suggesting a ‘cascade of fear’ in which fear at one trophic level reduces fear at a lower level. Furthermore, it is to our knowledge the first to demonstrate that prey can reduce their anti-predator response in the presence of high densities of cannibalistic predators. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-498389f72cd5435ea048c81c683caefd |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-498389f72cd5435ea048c81c683caefd2025-01-22T00:16:49ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032025-01-0112110.1098/rsos.241711Threat to the predator suppresses defence of its preyMonika Sysiak0Piotr Maszczyk1Andrzej Mikulski2Department of Hydrobiology, Institute of Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warsaw 02-089, PolandDepartment of Hydrobiology, Institute of Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warsaw 02-089, PolandDepartment of Hydrobiology, Institute of Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Żwirki i Wigury 101, Warsaw 02-089, PolandMany studies have shown that prey can optimize their defence mechanisms based on cues indicating predator presence and pressure. However, little is known about whether prey can assess the actual threat by considering both predator density and the motivational state of cannibalistic predators, which can be influenced by threats from higher order predators. We conducted laboratory experiments to test the hypothesis that high predator density, combined with chemical cues indicating predator stress (e.g. alarm and disturbance cues), may inhibit prey defences. Using Daphnia and Zygoptera/Anisoptera larvae, we observed that Daphnia’s strong response to low-density predator kairomones was suppressed when exposed to high-density predator kairomones and disturbance cues. Surprisingly, we found no evidence of a suppressive response to alarm cues. Our study is to our knowledge, the first to show that prey uses predator stress cues to avoid unnecessary defences, suggesting a ‘cascade of fear’ in which fear at one trophic level reduces fear at a lower level. Furthermore, it is to our knowledge the first to demonstrate that prey can reduce their anti-predator response in the presence of high densities of cannibalistic predators.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241711chemical cuespredationodonataDaphniafear cascadescannibalism |
| spellingShingle | Monika Sysiak Piotr Maszczyk Andrzej Mikulski Threat to the predator suppresses defence of its prey Royal Society Open Science chemical cues predation odonata Daphnia fear cascades cannibalism |
| title | Threat to the predator suppresses defence of its prey |
| title_full | Threat to the predator suppresses defence of its prey |
| title_fullStr | Threat to the predator suppresses defence of its prey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Threat to the predator suppresses defence of its prey |
| title_short | Threat to the predator suppresses defence of its prey |
| title_sort | threat to the predator suppresses defence of its prey |
| topic | chemical cues predation odonata Daphnia fear cascades cannibalism |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241711 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT monikasysiak threattothepredatorsuppressesdefenceofitsprey AT piotrmaszczyk threattothepredatorsuppressesdefenceofitsprey AT andrzejmikulski threattothepredatorsuppressesdefenceofitsprey |