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Influence of predator density on nonindependent effects of multiple predator species

  • Community Ecology - Original Paper
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Abstract

Interactions between multiple predator species are frequent in natural communities and can have important implications for shared prey survival. Predator density may be an important component of these interactions between predator species, as the frequency of interactions between species is largely determined by species density. Here we experimentally examine the importance of predator density for interactions between predator species and subsequent impacts on prey. We show that aggressive interactions between the predatory shore crabs Carcinus maenas and Hemigrapsus sanguineus increased with predator density, yet did not increase as fast as negative interactions between conspecifics. At low density, interactions between conspecific and heterospecific predators had similar inhibitory impacts on predator function, whereas conspecific interference was greater than interference from heterospecifics at high predator density. Thus the impact of conspecific interference at high predator density was sufficient in itself that interactions with a second predator species had no additional impact on per capita predation. Spatial and temporal variability in predator density is a ubiquitous characteristic of natural systems that should be considered in studies of multiple predator species.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to D. Niemaszyk for assistance in conducting the field experiments. We thank I. Altman, A. Blakeslee, J. Buck, J. Byers, A. Freeman, T. Guy, W.J. Lee, L. Page, C.H.P. Peterson, O. Schmitz, G. Trussell, and anonymous reviewers for comments on the manuscript. We also thank Shoals Marine Laboratory for use of their facilities. This work was supported in part by an NSF grant to the Shoals Marine Laboratory in support of the Research for Undergraduates program, and by a University of New Hampshire Dissertation Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoology Department, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, 03824, USA

    Blaine D. Griffen

  2. Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602, USA

    Blaine D. Griffen

  3. School of Science and Math, College of Charleston, Grice Marine Laboratory, 205 Fort Johnson, Charleston, SC, 29412, USA

    Tucker Williamson

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  1. Blaine D. Griffen
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  2. Tucker Williamson
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Correspondence to Blaine D. Griffen.

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Communicated by Pete Peterson.

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Griffen, B.D., Williamson, T. Influence of predator density on nonindependent effects of multiple predator species. Oecologia 155, 151–159 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-007-0889-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-007-0889-6

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