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Small prey size offers immunity to predation: a case study on two species of Asplanchna and three brachionid prey (Rotifera)

  • Advances In Rotifer Research
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Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that small prey can coexist with large predators. For this we confronted two predators (smaller Asplanchna brightwellii: 900 μm and larger A. sieboldi: 1400 μm) with three prey rotifers (smaller: Anuraeopsis fissa (70 μm); larger: Brachionus calyciflorus (200 μm) and intermediate: B. patulus (120 μm)) using functional response, prey preference, population growth and life table demography. Regardless of prey type, A. sieboldi was able to consume more prey than A. brightwellii and it consumed higher number of B. patulus than of B. calyciflorus or A. fissa. Prey preference experiments showed that A. brightwellii had no preference for B. calyciflorus regardless of prey density, while A. sieboldi preferred B. calyciflorus and avoided A. fissa. Data on population growth showed that A. brightwellii was always numerically more abundant than A. sieboldi. Prey type had a significant effect on peak abundances of A. sieboldi but not of A. brightwellii. Life table demography data revealed a significantly lower lifespan in A. brightwellii fed B. calyciflorus, compared to B. patulus, but not when compared to A. fissa. A. sieboldi lifespan was not affected by prey type. Depending on prey type and predator species, generation time varied from 2 to 3 days. Both lowest (0.38 d−1) and highest (0.98 d−1) population growth rates were observed in A. sieboldi. We suggest that reduced reproductive output in Asplanchna was caused by either large (B. calyciflorus) or small (A. fissa) prey. At natural densities of Anuraeopsis, it is unlikely that Asplanchna reaches abundances high enough to exterminate this prey. By its extremely small size (combining low energetic profitability with low encounter rates with predators) A. fissa may coexist with Asplanchna in nature.

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Acknowledgements

Two anonymous reviewers have improved our presentation. We thank PAPIME PE201406 (UNAM, Mexico) for a project. Additional financial support was received from CONACyT-Mexico ( SNI - 18723 and 20520).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Aquatic Zoology, UMF, Division of Research and Postgraduate Studies, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Campus Iztacala, Av. de los Barrios S/N, Los Reyes, AP 314, CP 54090, Tlalnepantla, State of Mexico, Mexico

    S. S. S. Sarma & S. Nandini

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  1. S. S. S. Sarma
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  2. S. Nandini
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Correspondence to S. S. S. Sarma.

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Dedicated to H. J. Dumont for his 65th year.

Guest editors: S. S. S. Sarma, R. D. Gulati, R. L. Wallace, S. Nandini, H. J. Dumont and R. Rico-Martínez

Advances in Rotifer Research

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Sarma, S.S.S., Nandini, S. Small prey size offers immunity to predation: a case study on two species of Asplanchna and three brachionid prey (Rotifera). Hydrobiologia 593, 67–76 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-9069-2

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