Abstract
Emerging conservation efforts for the world’s large predators may, if successful, restore natural predator–prey interactions. Marine reserves, where large predators tend to be relatively common, offer an experimental manipulation to investigate interactions between large-bodied marine predators and their prey. We hypothesized that southern stingrays—large, long-lived and highly interactive mesopredators—would invest in anti-predator behavior in marine reserves where predatory large sharks, the primary predator of stingrays, are more abundant. Specifically, we predicted southern stingrays in marine reserves would reduce the use of deep forereef habitats in the favor of shallow flats where the risk of shark encounters is lower. Baited remote underwater video was used to survey stingrays and reef sharks in flats and forereef habitats of two reserves and two fished sites in Belize. The interaction between “protection status” and “habitat” was the most important factor determining stingray presence. As predicted, southern stingrays spent more time interacting with baited remote underwater videos in the safer flats habitats, were more likely to have predator-inflicted damage inside reserves, and were less abundant in marine reserves but only in the forereef habitat. These results are consistent with a predation-sensitive habitat shift rather than southern stingray populations being reduced by direct predation from reef sharks. Our study provides evidence that roving predators can induce pronounced habitat shifts in prey that rely on crypsis and refuging, rather than active escape, in high-visibility, heterogeneous marine habitats. Given documented impacts of stingrays on benthic communities it is possible restoration of reef shark populations with reserves could induce reef ecosystem changes through behavior-mediated trophic cascades.
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Acknowledgements
This research was funded by grants from Earthwatch International (to DDC and EAB) and the Roe Foundation (to DDC). We are indebted to all of our Earthwatch volunteers for their tireless efforts in the field, their comraderie and tremendous enthusiasm. We would also like to thank the station managers and staff of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) Middle Caye Field Station, WCS-Belize and International Zoological Expeditions (IZE) for taking such great care of us. Thanks to the Belize Department of Fisheries for permitting this research and taking the time to hear us present the results. This paper is dedicated to Gordon and Veronica Bond who always encouraged my scientific curiosity, and supported me to achieve my ambitions.
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MB, DC, EB, MH, RG conceived the ideas and designed methodology; MB, JV, EB, DC and EP collected the data; MB, DC, EB, RC, BP, MH and RG analyzed the data; MB, DC and MH led the writing of the manuscript. All authors contributed critically to the drafts and gave final approval for publication.
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Communicated by Jeremy Long.
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Bond, M.E., Valentin-Albanese, J., Babcock, E.A. et al. Top predators induce habitat shifts in prey within marine protected areas. Oecologia 190, 375–385 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-019-04421-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-019-04421-0