So many choices, so little time: Food preference and movement vary with the landscape of fear.

Autor: Ferreira CM; Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology University of Potsdam Potsdam Germany., Dammhahn M; Behavioural Biology, Institute for Neuro- and Behavioural Biology University of Münster Münster Germany., Eccard JA; Animal Ecology, Institute for Biochemistry and Biology University of Potsdam Potsdam Germany.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Ecology and evolution [Ecol Evol] 2023 Jul 26; Vol. 13 (7), pp. e10330. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 Jul 26 (Print Publication: 2023).
DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10330
Abstrakt: Spatial and temporal variation in perceived predation risk is an important determinant of movement and foraging activity of animals. Foraging in this landscape of fear, individuals need to decide where and when to move, and what resources to choose. Foraging theory predicts the outcome of these decisions based on energetic trade-offs, but complex interactions between perceived predation risk and preferences of foragers for certain functional traits of their resources are rarely considered. Here, we studied the interactive effects of perceived predation risk on food trait preferences and foraging behavior in bank voles ( Myodes glareolus ) in experimental landscapes. Individuals ( n  = 19) were subjected for periods of 24 h to two extreme, risk-uniform landscapes (either risky or safe), containing 25 discrete food patches, filled with seeds of four plant species in even amounts. Seeds varied in functional traits: size, nutrients, and shape. We evaluated whether and how risk modifies forager preference for functional traits. We also investigated whether perceived risk and distance from shelter affected giving-up density (GUD), time in patches, and number of patch visits. In safe landscapes, individuals increased time spent in patches, lowered GUD and visited distant patches more often compared to risky landscapes. Individuals preferred bigger seeds independent of risk, but in the safe treatment they preferred fat-rich over carb-rich seeds. Thus, higher densities of resource levels remained in risky landscapes, while in safe landscapes resource density was lower and less diverse due to selective foraging. Our results suggest that the interaction of perceived risk and dietary preference adds an additional layer to the cascading effects of a landscape of fear which affects biodiversity at resource level.
(© 2023 The Authors. Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
Externí odkaz: