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Interspecific differences in drift behaviour between the native Gammarus pulex and the exotic Gammarus roeseli and possible implications for the invader’s success

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Abstract

“Drifting” is known to subject aquatic invertebrates to intense predation by drift feeding fish. Consequently, interspecific variations in drifting behaviour could lead to differences in predation pressure between coexisting prey species. Predation being an important factor determining the success of invaders, differences in drift patterns could advantage either native or exotic invertebrates through differential predation by native fish predators. The exotic freshwater amphipod (Gammarus roeseli) has now largely colonized Western Europe where it is often found in sympatry with a native species (Gammarus pulex). Here we documented interspecific differences in drifting behaviour that might have favored the invader’s success through differential predation. Benthic and drifting amphipods were sampled three times at the same site to compare the proportion of each species within and between sample types (benthos or drift) across time. Compared with the benthos, where the invader (G. roeseli) was significantly less abundant than the native (G. pulex), G. roeseli was proportionally overrepresented in the drift but displayed a very different drifting pattern. While G. pulex drift rates remained roughly constant over a 24 h period, G. roeseli showed a marked diel periodicity with low diurnal and high nocturnal drift rates. Such drifting behaviour could procure this species with a competitive advantage regarding predation as most drift feeding fish are diurnal. As a result, the native appears more disadvantaged with respect to drift. This may partly explain the ability of G. roeseli to coexist with G. pulex in a habitat more suitable to the native.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by a grant from the Conseil Régional de Bourgogne. We thank Robert Poulin and other members of the Parasitology Research Group (University of Otago) for their help and comments on a previous version of the manuscript.

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  1. Nicolas Kaldonski

    Present address: Equipe Ecologie des Eaux Continentales, UMR CNRS 6116 IMEP Université Paul Cézanne, Marseille, France

  2. Thierry Lefèvre

    Present address: Biology Department, Emory University, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA

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  1. Laboratoire Biogéosciences, UMR CNRS 5561 Biogéosciences, Equipe Ecologie Evolutive, Université de Bourgogne, 6 Blvd Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France

    Clément Lagrue, Nicolas Kaldonski, Sébastien Motreuil, Thierry Lefèvre, Olivier Blatter, Philippe Giraud & Loïc Bollache

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  1. Clément Lagrue
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Lagrue, C., Kaldonski, N., Motreuil, S. et al. Interspecific differences in drift behaviour between the native Gammarus pulex and the exotic Gammarus roeseli and possible implications for the invader’s success. Biol Invasions 13, 1409–1421 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9899-0

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