Plant-specific expression of antipredator behaviour by larval damselflies |
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Authors: | Michele Dionne Mari Butler Carol Folt |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, 03755 Hanover, NH, USA;(2) Present address: Biology Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 24061-0406 Blacksburg, VA, USA |
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Abstract: | Summary In this study of interactions between larval damselflies (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) and pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) we focus on the behaviour of the damselfly prey. First we document a prey behaviour in which damselflies use plant stems or leaves to hide from pumpkinseeds. We then test two hypotheses: (1) that damselfly hiding is a specific antipredator behaviour and (2) that hiding occurs more frequently in plant habitats where damselflies experience greater risk of predation. Since plant species growth forms can influence predation risk, our second hypothesis implies that hiding behaviour is conditional upon the type of vegetation providing habitat structure. Conditional expression of antipredator behaviour according to vegetation type may be important in littoral environments, since predator-prey interactions can occur in habitats with a wide range of macrophyte growth forms. The first hypothesis was supported by our findings that damselfly hiding increased in frequency in the presence of pumpkinseeds, that it was related to the frequency of predator approaches, and that its use reduced damselfly predation risk in high risk habitats. The second hypothesis was supported by our results that damselfly hiding rates were greater in the high risk Scirpus habitats than in the lower risk Potamogeton habitats. These results indicate that prey behaviour can influence predator-prey interactions, and that variation in plant growth form can influence prey behaviour, thus contributing to the impact of habitat structure on predator-prey dynamics. |
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Keywords: | Antipredator behaviour Habitat structure Odonates Macrophytes |
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