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A reaction–diffusion system governing the predator–prey interaction with specialist predator and herd behavior for prey is investigated. Linear stability of the interior equilibrium is studied, and conditions guaranteeing the occurrence of Turing instability, induced by cross‐diffusion, are found, with a full characterization of the Turing instability region in the parameter space. Numerical simulations on the obtained results are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rising global temperatures are expected to reshape predator–prey interactions, which are central to the structure, dynamics and functioning of natural ecosystems. While predator feeding rates are known to depend on temperature and vary across species, how this relationship varies within species across the different climatic regions conditions they inhabit is still poorly understood. Yet identifying this relationship is essential to predict how natural populations and communities will be affected by climate change across different geographic and climatic regions. Here we address this knowledge gap by experimentally measuring the thermal responses of predators collected from nine populations representing three latitudes spanning most of the continental US (a gradient of 11°). Specifically, we set up 145 independent replicated predator–prey systems across an experimental temperature gradient ranging from 5–35°C to quantify the thermal response curves for each of the nine predator populations. We found stark differences in thermal responses across latitudes ranging from clear humped‐shaped curves to a mostly linear increase. Most notably, these intraspecific differences in the overall shapes of thermal responses reveal opposing latitudinal patterns depending on the range of temperature considered. These results reveal that local climate can shape how interactions respond to warming and highlight the need to consider past local climatic conditions when predicting responses of natural systems to climate change at the local, regional, and global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus) rarely prey on living adult deer. We report video documentation, obtained May 2024, of a bear subduing and killing a sika deer (Cervus nippon) that was captured in a leg-hold snare trap, then staying in the area for repeated feeding visits. Leg-hold snare traps for deer capture are widely used in Japan for population control of high deer densities. The predation by bears on deer with restricted movements in this study shows that deer trapping by humans may be providing bears with a new form of deer as a food resource. If bears perceive such a deer as a regular food resource, it may have some effect on bears' ecology (e.g., feeding habits, behavior). In addition, through foraging on captive deer, bears could endanger trappers and the general population. Our record highlights the necessity of evaluating trap management practices to mitigate risks to humans and wildlife. 要旨:ツキノワグマ （Ursus thibetanus） がニホンジ カ （Cervus nippon） 成獣を捕食することは稀であ る。本研究では、くくり罠で捕獲されたシカにク マが襲い掛かり、その後死亡した個体に繰り返し 訪問し、シカを採食する様子を捉えた一連の動画 を報告する。シカの高密度化に伴うシカの捕獲強 化に際して、くくり罠は広く使用されている。本 事例において身動きが制限されたものの、生きた 成獣のシカをクマが捕食したことは、人によるシ カの捕獲行為がクマに新たな形態の食物資源とし てのシカを提供していることを示唆する。さら に、クマがこのような状態のシカを通常の食物資 源として認識している場合、クマの生態（たとえ ば、食性や行動など）に何かしらの影響を及ぼし ている可能性がある。また、捕獲されたシカのク マによる採食行動は、罠周辺でのクマの長時間の 滞在や錯誤捕獲の危険性を高めることで、捕獲従 事者および周辺住民との人身事故の可能性を高め る可能性がある。本事例は人と野生動物へのリス クを軽減するためにも、適切なくくり罠の運用を 検討する必要性を示唆している。 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the dynamics of a discrete-time predator-prey system in which the prey population is impacted by the Allee effect. Possible fixed points in the system are studied for their existence and topological categorization. Moreover, the presence and direction of period-doubling and Neimark-Sacker bifurcations at the interior fixed point are examined through the application of bifurcation theory and the centre manifold theorem. A hybrid approach is adopted to control chaotic behaviour and prevent bifurcations. Numerical examples are provided to substantiate our theoretical findings. The Allee effect has been shown to affect the dynamics of the system using numerical simulations. The moderate Allee effect stabilizes predator and prey populations, facilitating ecological cohabitation and persistence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Declines in populations of small mammals associated with high elevations, e.g. marmots (Marmota spp.) and pikas (Ochotona spp.), have been attributed to both direct and indirect effects of environmental changes caused by humans. For example, populations of Olympic marmots (M. olympus) and Vancouver Island marmots (M. vancouverensis) have declined in response to increased predator access to high-elevation marmot habitats. In the North Cascades National Park Service Complex (NOCA), observed mean abundance of hoary marmots (M. caligata) declined by 74% from 2007 to 2016. Although these declines have been linked to harsh winter conditions, the role of predation and its association with decreasing snowpack has yet to be explored in this system. We noninvasively examined these predator–prey dynamics by coupling behavioral surveys of hoary marmots with indices of predation risk. We conducted 145 vigilance samples and 39 flight initiation distance trials to measure Hoary Marmot antipredator behavior. We derived a risk index for each predator by weighting its probability of use estimates (the probability of a predator–prey encounter) with its observed proportion of Hoary Marmot predation (probability of prey death given an encounter). We used genetic metabarcoding of vertebrate DNA from 413 predator scat samples to quantify predation on hoary marmots. We surveyed 9,930 trap-nights using 130 remote cameras to model predator probability of use near Hoary Marmot colonies. From camera traps and scat DNA, we detected 10 predator species in the study area, and we detected hoary marmots in the scats of 5 of these species. The proportion of observed Hoary Marmot predation was highest for coyotes (Canis latrans) at 50%. To our knowledge, we also report the first record of hoary marmots being consumed by Pacific martens (Martes caurina), which were also significant predators (proportion of observed predation = 32%). We expected predators with low-elevation habits to use sites with lesser snow persistence; this prediction was supported for coyotes but not for other typically low-elevation predators. We found estimated risk experienced by hoary marmots was highest from Pacific martens and lowest from Canada Lynx (Lynx canadensis). Contrary to our predictions and despite hoary marmots allocating >50% of their time to vigilance, neither estimates of predator risk nor human presence explained variation in marmot antipredator behavior. Based on the results from both our dietary and probability of use analyses, we expect coyotes to have an increasing effect on NOCA's Hoary Marmot population as the climate warms and Coyote range continues to expand. Thus, our work highlights the need to better understand the effect of climate-driven shifts in predator–prey ecology in high-elevation systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many seabirds congregate in large colonies for breeding, a time when they are central place foragers. An influential idea in seabird ecology posits that competition during breeding results in an area of reduced prey availability around colonies, a phenomenon known as Ashmole's halo, and that this limits colony size. This idea has gained empirical support, including the finding that species coexisting within a colony might be able to do so by foraging on a single prey species but at different distances. Here, we provide a comprehensive mathematical model for central place foragers exploiting a single prey in a two-dimensional environment, where the prey distribution is the result of intrinsic birth and death, movement in space, and mortality due to foraging birds (we also consider a variant tailored toward colonial social insects). Bird predation at different distances occurs according to an ideal free foraging distribution that maximizes prey delivery under flight and search costs. We fully characterize the birds' ideal free distribution and the prey distribution it generates. Our results show that prey depletion halos around breeding colonies are a robust phenomenon and that the birds' ideal free distribution is sensitive to prey movement. Furthermore, coexistence of several seabird species on a single prey easily emerges through behavioral niche partitioning whenever trait differences between species entail trade-offs between efficiently exploiting a scarce prey close to the colony and a more abundant prey far away. Such behavioral-based coexistence-inducing mechanism should generalize to other habitat and diet choice scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vigilance allows animals to quickly detect threats from conspecifics and predators to avoid or minimize costly encounters. Time spent vigilant is usually traded‐off against other fitness‐enhancing activities, such that fitness returns are expected when allocation to vigilance increases. We assessed the proximate factors influencing vigilance and investigated whether vigilance correlates with fitness in wild mountain goats. We first studied which extrinsic and intrinsic factors influenced alert duration and frequency using focal observations recorded over 12 years on individually‐marked adult females. We found that females increased vigilance in forested areas compared with open areas and were less vigilant when they were surrounded by conspecific neighbours. Reproductive females were more frequently vigilant and for longer periods compared with females without offspring. Mothers also tended to perform longer alerts when their offspring was > 10 m away than at shorter distances, suggesting that variation in offspring's vulnerability to predation influences mother's vigilance. Thus, predation risk and offspring vulnerability were the main mechanisms driving variation in vigilance. To assess fitness returns, we then used a joint modelling framework to estimate the latent correlations at the individual level among vigilance traits (alert duration, alert frequency, and total time spent vigilant) and fitness components (adult female survival and offspring survival) while accounting for the drivers observed to influence vigilance. Contrary to expectations, we found no evidence that vigilance is associated with fitness returns, with only some traits being at best weakly positively correlated with survival of offspring and adult females. This might arise because vigilance incurs costs that outweighs its potential benefits, or because vigilance metrics are not repeatable due to their high plasticity, challenging the commonly assumed positive relationship between vigilance and fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with a predator-prey system with density-dependent diffusion and indirect pursuit-evasion interaction under homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions. By providing appropriate conditions, the asymptotic stability of solution is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Commentary: Demographic response of osprey within the lower Chesapeake Bay to fluctuations in menhaden stock" published in Frontiers in Marine Science discusses the decline in osprey reproductive rates and fish provisioning, particularly menhaden, in the Mobjack Bay subestuary of the lower Chesapeake Bay. The study suggests a link between osprey reproductive rates and coastwide indices of juvenile menhaden abundance, prompting calls for the restoration of menhaden stocks to 1980s levels. However, the article raises concerns about the statistical analysis used and the lack of a clear relationship between osprey demographics and menhaden abundance, emphasizing the need for further research and appropriate methodologies to assess their ecological linkage. [Extracted from the article]

We consider a diffusive Rosenzweig–MacArthur predator–prey model in the situation when the prey diffuses at a rate much smaller than that of the predator. In a certain parameter regime, the existence of fronts in the system is known: the underlying dynamical system in a singular limit is reduced to a scalar Fisher–KPP (Kolmogorov–Petrovski–Piskunov) equation and the fronts supported by the full system are small perturbations of the Fisher–KPP fronts. The existence proof is based on the application of the Geometric Singular Perturbation Theory with respect to two small parameters. This paper is focused on the stability of the fronts. We show that, for some parameter regime, the fronts are spectrally and asymptotically stable using energy estimates, exponential dichotomies, the Evans function calculation, and a technique that involves constructing unstable augmented bundles. The energy estimates provide bounds on the unstable spectrum which depend on the small parameters of the system; the bounds are inversely proportional to these parameters. We further improve these estimates by showing that the eigenvalue problem is a small perturbation of some limiting (as the modulus of the eigenvalue parameter goes to infinity) system and that the limiting system has exponential dichotomies. Persistence of the exponential dichotomies then leads to bounds uniform in the small parameters. The main novelty of this approach is related to the fact that the limit of the eigenvalue problem is not autonomous. We then use the concept of the unstable augmented bundles and by treating these as multiscale topological structures with respect to the same two small parameters consequently as in the existence proof, we show that the stability of the fronts is also governed by the scalar Fisher–KPP equation. Furthermore, we perform numerical computations of the Evans function to explicitly identify regions in the parameter space where the fronts are spectrally stable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predator and prey traits are important determinants of the outcomes of trophic interactions. In turn, the outcomes of trophic interactions shape predator and prey trait evolution. How species' traits respond to selection from trophic interactions depends crucially on whether and how heritable species' traits are and their genetic correlations. Of the many traits influencing the outcomes of trophic interactions, body size and movement traits have emerged as key traits. Yet, how these traits shape and are shaped by trophic interactions is unclear, as few studies have simultaneously measured the impacts of these traits on the outcomes of trophic interactions, their heritability, and their correlations within the same system.We used outcrossed lines of the ciliate protist Paramecium caudatum from natural populations to examine variation in morphology and movement behaviour, the heritability of that variation, and its effects on Paramecium susceptibility to predation by the copepod Macrocyclops albidus.We found that the Paramecium lines exhibited heritable variation in body size and movement traits. In contrast to expectations from allometric relationships, body size and movement speed showed little covariance among clonal lines. The proportion of Paramecium consumed by copepods was positively associated with Paramecium body size and velocity but with an interaction such that greater velocities led to greater predation risk for large body‐sized paramecia but did not alter predation risk for smaller paramecia. The proportion of paramecia consumed was not related to copepod body size. These patterns of predation risk and heritable trait variation in paramecia suggest that copepod predation may act as a selective force operating independently on movement and body size and generating the strongest selection against large, high‐velocity paramecia.Our results illustrate how ecology and genetics can shape potential natural selection on prey traits through the outcomes of trophic interactions. Further simultaneous measures of predation outcomes, traits, and their quantitative genetics will provide insights into the evolutionary ecology of species interactions and their eco‐evolutionary consequences. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prey adopt various antipredator responses to minimize the risk of predation, and the fitness costs of antipredator responses can have emergent effects on the population dynamics of prey species. While the trade‐off between food acquisition and predation avoidance has long been recognized in predicting antipredator responses, less attention has been paid to the dynamics of the food‐safety trade‐off driven by temporal variation in multiple risk factors under changing seasonal conditions.Here, we monitored foraging and vigilance behaviour of a central prey species, snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus), at fine temporal scales over the winter with various types of predation risk, while also experimentally manipulating predation risk by attracting predators to foraging patches.Hares increased foraging and decreased vigilance over the winter, but hares under chronic risk decreased their antipredator efforts to a lesser degree, indicating that those individuals prioritized risk avoidance over food acquisition. Hares also decreased foraging and increased antipredator efforts in response to the temporal activity of predators and environmental cues of predation risk. However, the magnitude of the responses to the environmental cues was mediated by time of winter. While we did not detect a reactive response of hares to acute risk, we did find that hares exhibiting camouflage mismatch proactively increased vigilance.Overall, our results highlight the importance of species‐specific traits and changing seasonal conditions in addition to temporal variation in multiple risk factors in predicting antipredator responses and the context dependence of risk effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how organisms make choices about what to eat is a fascinating puzzle explored in this study, which employs stoichiometric modeling and optimal foraging principles. The research delves into the intricate balance of nutrient intake with foraging strategies, investigating quality and quantity-based food selection through mathematical models. The stoichiometric models in this study, encompassing producers and a grazer, unveils the dynamics of decision-making processes, introducing fixed and variable energetic foraging costs. Analysis reveals cell quota-dependent predation behaviors, elucidating biological phenomena such as “compensatory foraging behaviors” and the “stoichiometric extinction effect”. The Marginal Value Theorem quantifies food selection, highlighting the profitability of prey items and emphasizing its role in optimizing foraging strategies in predator–prey dynamics. The environmental factors like light and nutrient availability prove pivotal in shaping optimal foraging strategies, with numerical results from a multi-species model contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between organisms and their environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In bounded, spatially two-dimensional domains, the system complemented with initial and homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions, models the interaction between prey (with density u), predator (with density v) and superpredator (with density w), which preys on both other populations. Apart from random motion and prey-tactical behavior of the primary predator, the key aspect of this system is that the secondary predator reacts to alarm calls of the prey, issued by the latter whenever attacked by the primary predator. We first show in the pure alarm-taxis model, i.e. if ξ = 0 , that global classical solutions exist. For the full model (with ξ > 0 ), the taxis terms and the presence of the term - a 2 u w in the first equation apparently hinder certain bootstrap procedures, meaning that the available regularity information is rather limited. Nonetheless, we are able to obtain global generalized solutions. An important technical challenge is to guarantee strong convergence of (weighted) gradients of the first two solution components in order to conclude that approximate solutions converge to a generalized solution of the limit problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the uniqueness of limit cycles in a two-dimensional autonomous Gause predator-prey model with an Ivlev-type group defense introduced by D. M. Xiao, S. G. Ruan, Codimension two bifurcations in a predator-prey system with group defense, Int. J. Bifurcat. Chaos, 11 (2001). We proved their conjecture that the system can exhibit at most one limit cycle. Furthermore, we compared the qualitative differences between this system and two similar systems with group defense: One system with the same Ivlev-type functional response function but with Leslie-Gower predator dynamics and another system with a comparable functional response function. For both systems, we show that two limit cycles can occur.

In this article, a diffusive predator-prey model with memory effect and predation-driven Allee effect is considered. Through eigenvalue analysis, the local asymptotic stability of positive constant steady-state solutions is analyzed, and it is found that memory delay affects the stability of positive constant steady-state solutions and induces Hopf bifurcation. The properties of Hopf bifurcating periodic solutions have also been analyzed through the central manifold theorem and the normal form method. Finally, our theoretical analysis results were validated through numerical simulations. It was found that both memory delay and predation-driven Allee effect would cause the positive constant steady-state solution of the model to become unstable, accompanied by the emergence of spatially inhomogeneous periodic solutions. Increasing the memory period will cause periodic oscillations in the spatial distribution of the population. In addition, there would also be high-dimensional bifurcation such as Hopf–Hopf bifurcation, making the spatiotemporal changes of the population more complex.

In this paper, we study the effects of the nonlocal competition and double Allee effect in prey on a diffusive predator–prey model. We investigate the local stability of coexistence equilibrium in the predator–prey model by analyzing the eigenvalue spectrum. We study the consequence of double Allee effect on the prey population. Also, we discuss the existence of Hopf bifurcation under different parameters by using the gestation time delay of predators as a bifurcation parameter and analyzing the distribution of eigenvalues. By utilizing the normal form method and center manifold theorem, we have given some conditions that could determine the direction of Hopf bifurcation and the stability of the bifurcating periodic solutions. Through our research, we obtain that the double Allee effect can affect the coexistence of prey and predator and induce periodic oscillations of the densities of prey and predator. In addition, the nonlocal competition can also affect the stability and homogeneity of the solutions, but may receive the consequences of the Allee effect as well as time delay. In the numerical simulation part, we further demonstrate the correctness of this conclusion by comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation biocontrol, the regulation of crop pests by naturally occurring biocontrol agents (e.g., predators and parasitoids), is predominantly monitored throughout periods of primary crop growth when pests exert the most observable impact on yields. Pest‐focused agricultural biomonitoring often overlooks post‐harvest, winter and even early‐season biocontrol, despite the significant predator–pest interactions during these periods that profoundly affect pest abundance and, consequently, crop yields. Rapid advances in biomonitoring, particularly in the detection of predator–pest interactions that underpin biocontrol, provide an opportunity to reconsider how and when we monitor these interactions.Advances in agricultural biomonitoring must transcend methodological innovation and encompass conceptual changes in the monitoring of agricultural systems. Here, we assess existing evidence supporting the importance of periods beyond primary crop growth for biocontrol and how predator–pest interactions are likely to evolve during these periods, subsequently influencing pest population dynamics during the primary crop growth period.We advocate for a greater concerted effort to establish continuous monitoring of biocontrol interactions, particularly beyond primary crop growth periods in temperate climates. To facilitate this, we also summarise the methodological approaches that can make it possible and explore how extending sampling across the full annual cycle might impact the practicalities and outcomes of these approaches.Year‐round monitoring of biocontrol interactions, both in crops and adjacent semi‐natural habitats, will provide a previously intractable understanding of predator–pest dynamics, offering significant potential to enhance our ability to optimise and manipulate these systems. This would manifest in reduced crop yield losses, pest infestation rates and disease transmission, with concomitant long‐term financial, environmental and land‐use benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of predators influences the selection of oviposition sites, with females often choosing locations that minimize the risk of predation. Bitterlings, freshwater fish that deposit their eggs into the gills of mussels, face the threat of predation from mussel-associated leeches Hemiclepsis kasmiana, which feed on bitterling embryos. In this study, we investigated the host preferences of two species of spring-spawning bitterlings, Tanakia limbata and T. lanceolata, based on the parasitic density of mussel-associated leeches. Our methodology involved observing female bitterling spawning behavior and dissecting mussels to locate bitterling embryos. Our results revealed a preference of female T. limbata for spawning on uninfested mussels or those with lower leech infestation densities, supported by both spawning observations and mussel dissections. Female T. lanceolata exhibited a tendency to avoid mussels with higher leech infestation densities, supported by only mussel dissections, although this avoidance is not statistically significant. The difference in host preference between the two spring-spawning bitterling species may be due to their contrasting reproductive strategies aimed at minimizing the total risk of predation and host mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We considered predator-prey models which incorporated both an Allee effect and a new fear factor effect together, and where the predator predated the prey with a Holling type I functional response. We started off with a two-dimensional model where we found possible equilibria and examined their stabilities. By using the predator mortality rate as the bifurcation parameter, the model exhibited Hopf-bifurcation for the coexistence equilibrium. Furthermore, our numerical illustrations demonstrated the effect of fear and the Allee effect on the population densities, and we found that the level of fear had little impact on the long-term prey population level. The population of predators, however, declined as the fear intensity rose, indicating that the fear effect might result in a decline in the predator population. The dynamics of the delayed system were examined and Hopf-bifurcation was discussed. Finally, we looked at an eco-epidemiological model that took into account the same cost of fear and the Allee effect. In this model, the prey was afflicted with a disease. The prey was either susceptible or infected. Numerical simulations were carried out to show that as the Allee threshold rose, the uninfected prey and predator decreased, while the population of infected prey increased. When the Allee threshold hit a certain value, all populations became extinct. As fear intensity increased, the population of uninfected prey decreased, and beyond a certain level of fear, habituation prevented the uninfected prey from changing. After a certain level of fear, the predator population went extinct and, as a result, the only interaction left was between uninfected and infected prey which increased disease transmission, and so the infected prey increased. Hopf-bifurcation was studied by taking the time delay as the bifurcation parameter. We estimated the delay length to preserve stability.

Dogamit, which serves as a habitat for fish species growth, has drawn attention due to its location within a national park and the practice of 'sasi' by the local community as a way to preserve the ecosystem and the species that interact within it. In this research, mathematical modeling variables are explained to describe species' life based on direct observation. As the ecosystem’s inhabitants, the dominant predator species in the ecosystem is the Barramundi fish. Historically, this predator species has migrated from the waters of Australia. The aim of this research is to determine the locally stable equilibrium point and analyze the growth trajectories of the species. The testing is conducted based on equilibrium point analysis. There are three equilibrium points, but only one is a non-negative and realistic point for stability testing. This equilibrium point is then tested using the Routh-Hurwitz criteria. Stability is analyzed using the Jacobian matrix to obtain the eigenvalues. All eigenvalues are negative, thus it can be concluded that the model tested is locally stable. A numerical simulation analysis is also provided, involving parameters that support the mathematical model. The parameters are derived from previous relevant studies and realistic assumptions. The numerical simulation analysis method is used to observe the population growth trajectories. The trajectories that appear show similar conditions for both populations. Both populations experience significant fluctuations with an average growth rate of 67%. It takes 3/5 of the species' lifespan for both populations to stabilize again within the ecosystem. The predator-prey populations also demonstrate resilience during fluctuations, indicating that both populations are highly robust in maintaining survival. The characteristics and findings of this research are commonly found only in endemic species populations. Endemic species tend to have long-term survival and endurance, allowing them to dominate their surrounding geographic habitat and maintain ecosystem balance.

Despite having >1200 described species and despite their nearly worldwide distribution and prevalence in many xeric ecosystems, relative to many other arachnid groups, we know little about the natural history and behaviour of animals in the order Solifugae (camel spiders, sun spiders, sun scorpions, etc.). Here, we review the current solifuge literature through the lens of conceptual research areas in ecology, evolution, and behaviour and propose ways in which solifuges can contribute to research in specific subfields, as follows: (i) ecology: community and trophic dynamics; connecting food webs; habitat specialization; and biodiversity and conservation; (ii) evolution: speciation and diversification; activity cycles and associated traits; adaptations for speed; and living in extreme environments; and (iii) behaviour and sensory systems: sleep, quiescence, and diapause; sensory systems and sensory ecology; learning and cognition; and mating systems, sexual selection, and sexual conflict. This resource can provide a starting point for identifying research programmes that will simultaneously contribute basic natural history information about this under-studied group and provide a broader understanding of fundamental concepts and theories across the life sciences. We hope that scientists will take this review as a challenge to develop creative ways of leveraging the unique features of solifuges to advance scientific knowledge and understanding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the processes underlying community assembly and dynamics remains a central goal in ecology. Although much research has been devoted to analyzing how environments affect species diversity, fewer studies have resolved the link between the fundamental process of ecological selection and species diversity. It has been suggested that identifying ecological selection by estimating changes in community‐weighted variance (CWV) and mean (CWM) of functional traits may help to identify more general rules of community assembly. Here, we asked whether and how selection by predation and competition affect species diversity, and how this is determined by the initial CWV and CWM for traits governing species interactions, as in our case: Competitiveness and defense against a predator. We tracked experimental five‐species phytoplankton communities in the presence and absence of a rotifer predator over time. We manipulated the initial community composition so that communities shared at least three of the five species but differed in CWV and CWM for defense against predation. We found that species diversity was highest with higher initial trait distributions and that temporal changes in diversity correlated with trait selection. The initial distributions determined the form of selection over time, with directional selection for defense and competitiveness, followed by reduced selection and an increase in niche availability when the initial trait distribution was low or high. For intermediate initial trait distributions, we observed directional selection in only one trait, followed by stabilizing selection. Differences and changes in selection for defense, competitiveness, and species diversity correlated with the changes in predator density over time. This suggests that the initial trait distribution determined species diversity through a feedback loop with changes in selection on traits and predator density. Overall, our study shows that identifying ecological selection on functional traits can provide a mechanistic understanding of community assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfers of energy and nutrients from producers to consumers are fundamental to ecosystem structure and functioning. A common example is the transfer of essential amino acids and fatty acids, produced by phototrophs, up through successive trophic levels. A highly specialised example is the transmission of acquired phototrophy between certain plankton. There are > 250 species of marine plankton that exploit acquired phototrophy; the Teleaulax-Mesodinium-Dinophysis (TMD) trinity is the most studied complex. In the TMD-trinity, plastids and nuclear material produced by the cryptophyte Teleaulax are transferred during feeding to the ciliate, Mesodinium and these acquired plastids are subsequently transferred from Mesodinium to its predator, the dinoflagellate Dinophysis. These plastidic non-constitutive mixoplankton, Mesodinium and Dinophysis, are globally ubiquitous and ecologically important organisms. Mesodinium can form red-tide blooms, while Dinophysis spp. cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning events and shellfisheries closures. However, very little is known about the impact of different environmental stressors on the transmissions of acquired phototrophy, the subsequent decay of that phototrophic potential over time, and the implications for community trophic dynamics. Here, for the first time, the implications of the transmission dynamics of acquired phototrophy for the success of the TMD-trinity were explored under different nitrogen and phosphorus (N:P) nutrient ratios and loadings (eutrophic, mesotrophic, oligotrophic). Using a multi-nutrient simulator, bloom dynamics were shown to be markedly different under these scenarios, highlighting the importance of variable stoichiometry in community ecology. Importantly, dynamics were sensitive to the longevity (half-life) of the acquired phototrophy (especially for Dinophysis at low nutrient high N:P), a feature for which appropriate empirical data are lacking. This work highlights the need to enhance our understanding about how environmental stressors arising from anthropogenic activities (including climate change) will impact transference of acquired phototrophy between trophic levels and thence marine biodiversity and ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Predator–prey interactions are fundamental to ecological and evolutionary dynamics. Yet, predicting the outcome of such interactions—whether predators intercept prey or fail to do so—remains a challenge. An emerging hypothesis holds that interception trajectories of diverse predator species can be described by simple feedback control laws that map sensory inputs to motor outputs. This form of feedback control is widely used in engineered systems but suffers from degraded performance in the presence of processing delays such as those found in biological brains. We tested whether delay-uncompensated feedback control could explain predator pursuit manoeuvres using a novel experimental system to present hunting fish with virtual targets that manoeuvred in ways that push the limits of this type of control. We found that predator behaviour cannot be explained by delay-uncompensated feedback control, but is instead consistent with a pursuit algorithm that combines short-term forecasting of self-motion and prey motion with feedback control. This model predicts both predator interception trajectories and whether predators capture or fail to capture prey on a trial-by-trial basis. Our results demonstrate how animals can combine short-term forecasting with feedback control to generate robust flexible behaviours in the face of significant processing delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore a diffusive predator–prey system that incorporates the fear effect in advective environments. First, we analyze the eigenvalue problem and the adjoint operator, considering Constant-Flux and Dirichlet boundary conditions, as well as Free-Flow boundary conditions. Next, we use the principle of comparison to prove the non-negativity of the solution. Our investigation focuses on determining the direction and stability of spatial Hopf bifurcation, with the generation delay serving as the bifurcation parameter. Additionally, we examine the influence of both linear and Holling-II functional responses on the dynamics of the model. Through these analyses, we gain better understanding of the intricate relationship among advection, predation, and prey response in this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predation is a fundamental selective pressure on animal morphology, as morphology is directly linked with physical performance and evasion. Bipedal heteromyid rodents, which are characterized by unique morphological traits such as enlarged hindlimbs, appear to be more successful than sympatric quadrupedal rodents at escaping predators such as snakes and owls, but no studies have directly compared the escape performance of bipedal and quadrupedal rodents. We used simulated predator attacks to compare the evasive jumping ability of bipedal kangaroo rats (Dipodomys) to that of three quadrupedal rodent groups—pocket mice (Chaetodipus), woodrats (Neotoma), and ground squirrels (Otospermophilus). Jumping performance of pocket mice was remarkably similar to that of kangaroo rats, which may be driven by their shared anatomical features (such as enlarged hindlimb muscles) and facilitated by their relatively small body size. Woodrats and ground squirrels, in contrast, almost never jumped as a startle response, and they took longer to perform evasive escape maneuvers than the heteromyid species (kangaroo rats and pocket mice). Among the heteromyids, take‐off velocity was the only jump performance metric that differed significantly between species. These results support the idea that bipedal body plans facilitate vertical leaping in larger‐bodied rodents as a means of predator escape and that vertical leaping likely translates to better evasion success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource distribution, habitat structure, and predators greatly influence spatial and temporal landscape use by prey species. The "risky places" hypothesis establishes prey will proactively respond to predators' presence based on habitat cues, whereas the "risky times" hypothesis predicts prey will reactively respond by increasing vigilance in the presence of predators regardless of habitat cues. We fit a multiscale, Bayesian species interaction occupancy model with detection/non‐detection data to evaluate black‐tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus) and eastern cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus floridanus) habitat use in the presence and absence of coyotes (Canis latrans), American badgers (Taxidea taxus), and swift foxes (Vulpes velox). We also evaluated how species‐specific predator presence modified temporal activity patterns of prey. Jackrabbits decreased habitat use in areas with greater forage and opted to use areas with greater visibility when coyotes or swift foxes were present. However, cottontails used habitat in open areas with greater visibility when American badgers were present and all other predators absent, suggesting dissimilar habitat‐use patterns dictated by predator‐specific risks. Both lagomorph species are nocturnal with segregated peaks of activity compared with predators, suggesting fine‐scale temporal use partitioning. Our results provide insights into predator–prey dynamics across heterogenous landscapes in a multi‐predator system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migratory species have the potential to strongly mediate stability of resident communities. However, the seasonal nature of their interactions has limited integration into ecological theory likely due to the large temporal variability and spatial scales involved. Here, we develop a novel framework to partition community dynamics which have migrating species. We extend classical notions of resilience, which measure the rate of convergence to equilibrium, to seasonal systems switching between multiple equilibria using (hybrid) Lyapunov stability theory to capture "far from equilibrium" dynamics. Each transition to a new season consists of perturbation, with a stock imbalance inherited from the previous season. Our new resilience metric is defined from the recovery time following this transition required for the community to approach the new seasonal equilibrium. We apply our method to an Arctic tundra food web with distinct summer and winter dynamics and assess the resilience of the community to longer summer season lengths predicted by climate change scenarios. This simulation scenario emphasizes the relative importance of distinct food web topologies between seasons due to migration. Our study demonstrates the feasibility of developing a theory of species interactions in seasonal environments, with deep ramifications for central ecological concepts such as resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intense disturbances such as hurricanes may drastically affect ecosystems, producing both acute and long-term changes along coastlines. By disrupting human activities (e.g., fishing), hurricanes can provide an opportunity to quantify the effects of these activities on coastal ecosystems. We performed predator-exclusion experiments on oyster reefs in 2016, one-year before a category-4 hurricane ("Harvey") and again in 2018 one-year post-hurricane where the storm made landfall. Additionally, we examined 8 years (2011–2018) of fisheries-independent data to gauge how fishing pressure and fish populations were affected by the storm in three locations that varied in storm impacts. In the month following Hurricane Harvey, fishing effort dropped by 90% in the area with wind and flooding damage, and predatory fish species commonly targeted by anglers were 300% more abundant than the year prior to the hurricane. The locations without damage to fishing infrastructure did not experience declines in fishing pressure or changes in fish abundance, regardless of flooding disturbance. Reef fish and invertebrate communities directly affected by the storm were significantly different after the hurricane and were ~ 30% more diverse. With low fishing pressure, sportfish CPUE were 1.7–6.9 × higher immediately after the hurricane. Intermediate consumers, such as crabs that prey on oysters, were 45% less abundant and 10% smaller. These results indicate that hurricanes can temporarily disrupt human-ecosystem linkages and reconstitute top-down control by sportfish in estuarine food webs. Disturbance events that interrupt or weaken those interactions may yield indirect ecological benefits and provide insights into the effects of human activities on food webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa manages for sustainable subsistence harvests of moose (mooz; Alces alces) and white‐tailed deer (waawaashkeshi; Odocoileus virginianus). Moose populations in northern Minnesota, USA, are declining, which may necessitate alterations to Indigenous subsistence practices. Moose and deer exhibit seasonal behaviors such as altered space use and movement strategies, to which gray wolves (ma'iingan; Canis lupus) and humans may adapt, resulting in seasonal mortality patterns. Identifying periods of increased moose and deer vulnerability is important for achieving tribal conservation objectives. We assessed seasonal cause‐specific mortality of adult moose (2010–2021) and deer (2016–2022) fitted with global positioning system collars on and near the Grand Portage Indian Reservation (Gichi Onigaming; GPIR) in Minnesota and hypothesized mortality risk would be influenced by species‐specific space use patterns and weather. We estimated survival rates and mortality risk using time‐to‐event models. We recorded 42 moose mortalities (17 health issues, 8 predations, 4 subsistence harvests, 13 unknown causes) and 49 deer mortalities (26 predations, 13 harvests, 4 other causes, 6 unknown causes). Mean annual moose survival was 83.2%, and mortality risk peaked during late winter (~25 April) and fall (~8 October). Mean annual deer survival was 48.0%, and mortality risk peaked during late winter (~25 March) and during their fall migration period (~11 November). Mortality timing coincided with transitions between space use states (i.e., periods of spatial stability), suggesting ungulates are at greater risk during these transitional periods, though movement strategy (i.e., resident vs. migratory) did not influence mortality risk. Further, increased winter severity corresponded with increased deer mortality. We observed similar temporal peaks in mortality risk when harvest mortalities were censored, suggesting our observed seasonal mortality peaks occur naturally despite harvest comprising most fall deer mortality. Our results can inform population models and harvest regulations by identifying periods of mortality risk on GPIR under Anishinaabe principles of seventh‐generation conservation planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Spatiotemporal variation in resource availability is a strong driver of animal distributions. In the northern hardwood and boreal forests of the northeastern United States, tree mast events provide resource pulses that drive the population dynamics of small mammals, including the American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus), a primary songbird nest predator. This study sought to determine whether mast availability ameliorates their abiotic limits, enabling red squirrel elevational distributions to temporarily expand and negatively impact high‐elevation songbirds. Location: Northeastern United States. Methods: We used two independent datasets to evaluate our hypotheses. First, we fit a dynamic occupancy model using data from camera trap surveys to evaluate red squirrel distributional responses to pulses in the tree mast. We also assessed population responses using systematic auditory surveys analysed with an open‐population binomial mixture model. Further, we used modelled red squirrel abundance in nest‐survival models to evaluate whether their abundance is correlated with the daily nest survival of three songbird species. Results: The tree mast provided a critical resource pulse that resulted in a two‐fold increase in the annual elevational distribution of red squirrels. The elevational distribution of red squirrels ranged from a minimum of ~450 m (range: 663–1145 m asl) following two consecutive years without a masting event to a maximum of over 1000 m (range: 443–1545 m asl) after a large mast event. The daily nest survival of three songbird species tended to decline with an increase in the abundance of red squirrels. Main Conclusions: Tree mast is a central biological phenomenon in many temperate and boreal forests. This study reveals how this resource pulse results in range changes in a small mammal that is both a seed and bird predator, as well as prey for many carnivores. Thus, understanding this phenomenon can inform the conservation and management of northern forests, including breeding songbirds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Encounters between animals occur when animals are close in space and time. Encounters are important in many ecological processes including sociality, predation and disease transmission. Despite this, there is little theory regarding the spatial distribution of encounters and no formal framework to relate environmental characteristics to encounters. The probability of encounter could be estimated with resource selection functions (RSFs) by comparing locations where encounters occurred to available locations where they may have occurred, but this estimate is complicated by the hierarchical nature of habitat selection.We developed a method to relate resources to the relative probability of encounter based on a scale‐integrated habitat selection framework. This framework integrates habitat selection at multiple scales to obtain an appropriate estimate of availability for encounters. Using this approach, we related encounter probabilities to landscape resources. The RSFs describe habitat associations at four scales, home ranges within the study area, areas of overlap within home ranges, locations within areas of overlap, and encounters compared to other locations, which can be combined into a single scale‐integrated RSF. We apply this method to intraspecific encounter data from two species: white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and elk (Cervus elaphus) and interspecific encounter data from a two‐species system of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and coyote (Canis latrans).Our method produced scale‐integrated RSFs that represented the relative probability of encounter. The predicted spatial distribution of encounters obtained based on this scale‐integrated approach produced distributions that more accurately predicted novel encounters than a naïve approach or any individual scale alone.Our results highlight the importance of accounting for the conditional nature of habitat selection in estimating the habitat associations of animal encounters as opposed to 'naïve' comparisons of encounter locations with general availability. This method has direct relevance for testing hypotheses about the relationship between habitat and social or predator–prey behaviour and generating spatial predictions of encounters. Such spatial predictions may be vital for understanding the distribution of encounters driving disease transmission, predation rates and other population and community‐level processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystem approaches to fisheries management are being explored worldwide, but few evaluations of multispecies harvest control rules (HCRs) exist. Our goal was to perform a simulation test of a suite of HCRs using an age-structured predator–prey model to represent the dynamics of a small pelagic fish, Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), and its predator, striped bass (Morone saxatilis). We evaluated a suite of static and dynamic single and multispecies HCRs to estimate effects on stock performance metrics. No single HCR achieved ecosystem management objectives for both stocks given their current reference points, but HCRs that involved the "40–10 rule" for striped bass performed well across all predator performance metrics. The most influential factor determining performance of striped bass HCRs was striped bass fishing mortality, and relatively few HCRs achieved target SSB for Atlantic menhaden. Our study indicated that some HCRs recommended for forage fish management may not be effective in systems with generalist predators, and that ecosystem management objectives might be achievable by simultaneously adopting HCRs for both predator and prey stocks that complement one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ungulate populations can exhibit various growth patterns, which are influenced by factors such as predation and resource availability. Favourable environments can lead to irruptive growth, resulting in resource depletion. However, additional pressures from predation, and hunting can potentially impact population development leading to declines or even local extinctions. This study uses simulation models to explore the potential impact of multiple mortality sources on roe deer populations. We develop an age-structured, two-sex demographic matrix model for roe deer, which we parameterise with empirical demographic estimates obtained from published studies in Norway. We develop scenarios to assess the influence of mortality sources such as hunting, predation by lynx and red foxes, and environmental stochasticity on roe deer population dynamics. When simulating favourable environments without predation, roe deer populations tended to erupt due to the species' rapid reproductive capacity. However, additional sources of mortality, such as predation or harvest, lead to severe population declines, and even to quasi-extinction, especially when occurring in combination. Environmental stochasticity such as periodic severe winters with heavy snowfall reduces the growth rate and population densities even further. On the other hand, accounting for some form of spatial heterogeneity through immigration and refuges stabilised populations, with a reduced risk of quasi-extinction. Our results provide meaningful insights into the properties of this system allow implications for the management and identify areas where further exploration is needed.

This article explains the interaction of the prey-predator model in the presence of wild harvesting and competition intra-specific predator populations and prey protection zones. Model construction is based on literature studies related to the basic theory of the model and the biological properties between predator and prey populations. This study aims to look at the dynamic conditions of the predator-prey model in the form of the existence of prey and predator populations and the impact that occurs in the long term for both populations due to changes in parameter values. The model analysis begins with the formulation of the solution conditions and boundaries model, and next with the determination of the equilibrium point. Every equilibrium point is analyzed by the characteristic of its stability is neither local or global. The model owns three equilibrium points, namely the equilibrium point of population extinction (E_0), the equilibrium point of predator extinction (E_1), and the equilibrium point of persistence of the two populations (E_2). These equilibrium points are stable locally or globally if certain conditions are met. Next, it is shown that bifurcation proceeds Which describes the changing of characteristic stability point equilibrium Which depends on the threshold parameter values h_1, Ω^*, and ρ^*. In the end, numerical simulations are presented in the form of phase, time-series, and bifurcation diagrams to support the analytical results of the model, as well as to visually show the dynamic behaviour of the interaction between the two populations based on changes in predation levels, illegal harvesting, prey refuge zones, and intra-specific competition.

We build on previous research describing correlative links between changes in the abundance of the copepod Calanus finmarchicus , a foundational zooplankton species of the pelagic food web, and diminishing recruitment of young-of-year American lobster (Homarus americanus) to benthic nurseries in the Gulf of Maine. Using parallel 31-year time series of lobster larvae and zooplankton collected on the New Hampshire coast between 1988 and 2018, we investigated how changes in phenology of stage I larval lobster and their putative copepod prey, C. finmarchicus , affect their temporal overlap and potential to interact during the larval season. We found that over the time series both the lobster egg hatch and first appearance of larvae began earlier in the season, a trend significantly correlated with ocean warming. The last appearance of larvae in late summer has been delayed, however, thereby extending the larval season. Even with the longer larval lobster season, the C. finmarchicus season has increasingly been ending before the peak abundance of stage I lobster larvae. The net effect is a widening mismatch in phenology of the two species, an outcome consistent with the hypothesis that changes in abundance and phenology of C. finmarchicus have contributed to recent declines in lobster recruitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersal is a life-history trait of fundamental importance in single- and multi-species systems. Several studies indicate its central role for antagonistic species interactions, modulating ecological and evolutionary processes, epidemiology, spatial dynamics, and patterns of local adaptation. Dispersal itself can evolve, but only recently theoretical and experimental research has recognized the profound implications of this second-order evolutionary process for antagonistic interactions, including host-parasite, host-parasitoid, and predator-prey. We therefore call for more detailed investigations of dispersal evolution and its impact on critical interaction traits, such as virulence and resistance, and the potential for eco-evolutionary feedbacks. Dispersal evolution modifies diverse spatial processes, such as range expansions or biological invasions of single species, but we are currently lacking a realistic vision for metacommunities. Focusing on antagonistic species interactions, we review existing theory of dispersal evolution between natural enemies, and explain how this might be relevant for classic themes in host-parasite evolutionary ecology, namely virulence evolution or local adaptation. Specifically, we highlight the importance of considering the simultaneous (co)evolution of dispersal and interaction traits. Linking such multi-trait evolution with reciprocal demographic and epidemiological feedbacks might change basic predictions about coevolutionary processes and spatial dynamics of interacting species. Future challenges concern the integration of system-specific disease ecology or spatial modifiers, such as spatial network structure or environmental heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by a recent study associating shifting temperature conditions with changes in the efficiency with which predators convert prey to offspring, we propose a predator-prey model of reaction-diffusion type to analyze the consequence of such effects on the population dynamics and spread of the predator species. In the model, the predator conversion efficiency is represented by a spatially heterogeneous function depending on the variable ξ = x - c1t for some given c1 > 0. Using the Hamilton-Jacobi approach, we provide explicit formulas for the spreading speed of the predator species. When the conversion function is monotone increasing, the spreading speed is determined in all cases and non-local pulling is possible. When the function is monotone decreasing, we provide formulas for the spreading speed when the rate of shift of the conversion function is sufficiently fast or slow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on how the trophic ecology of predators shapes their movement patterns and space-use is fundamental to understanding ecological processes across organisational levels. Despite this, studies combining spatial and trophic ecology to determine how prey preference and/or resource availability shape space use are lacking in marine predators as these can occur at low density and are often difficult to track over extended periods. Furthermore, many exhibit behavioural variability within species and among closely related, sympatric species adding further complexity. We applied a context-focused, multimethod approach to the understudied great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran) to test if movement and home ranges relate to prey preference and availability. Movement data from satellite and acoustic telemetry in Queensland, Australia, were combined with stable-isotope analysis, drone surveys, and videos of hunting behaviour. Limited dispersal, and small home ranges in S. mokarran were linked to trophic specialisation on stingray prey. Drone surveys and videos showed predation events on stingrays and demonstrated high, year-round availability of this prey in shallow, inshore habitats, which may allow the majority of S. mokarran to remain resident. This affinity for inshore habitats suggests that critical life-history requirements are performed over local or regional scales, although some larger movements were evident. These results were interpreted in comparison to the well-studied bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas), which showed reliance on pelagic food webs. Carcharhinus leucas had high individual variability in movement, with both large-scale migrations and residency. This could indicate that only some individuals are locally sustained on dynamic, pelagic food webs, while others undergo large-scale excursions over distant habitats. The specialised foraging of S. mokarran indicates they play an apex predator role in shallow, inshore habitats, potentially shaping space-use, and foraging behaviour of batoids. As inshore habitats are disproportionately affected by anthropogenic stressors, S. mokarran's trophic specialisation and limited demographic connectivity may make the species particularly vulnerable to anthropogenic threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most herbivores must balance demands to meet nutritional requirements, maintain stable thermoregulation and avoid predation. Species‐specific predator and prey characteristics determine the ability of prey to avoid predation and the ability of predators to maximize hunting success. Using GPS collar data from African wild dogs, lions, impala, tsessebes, wildebeest and zebra in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, we studied proactive predation risk avoidance by herbivores. We considered predator activity level in relation to prey movement, predator and prey habitat selection, and preferential use of areas by prey. We compared herbivore behaviour to lion and wild dog activity patterns and determined the effect of seasonal resource availability and prey body mass on anti‐predator behaviour. Herbivore movement patterns were more strongly correlated with lion than wild dog activity. Habitat selection by predators was not activity level dependent and, while prey and predators differed to some extent in their habitat selection, there were also overlaps, probably caused by predators seeking habitats with high prey abundance. Areas favoured by lions were used by herbivores more when lions were less active, whereas wild dog activity level was not correlated with prey use. Prey body mass was not a strong predictor of the strength of proactive predation avoidance behaviour. Herbivores showed stronger anti‐predator behaviours during the rainy season when resources were abundant. Reducing movement when top predators are most active and avoiding areas with a high likelihood of predator use during the same periods appear to be common strategies to minimize predation risk. Such valuable insights into predator–prey dynamics are only possible when using similar data from multiple sympatric species of predator and prey, an approach that should become more prevalent given the ongoing integration of technological methods into ecological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a predator–prey system with multiple anti-predator behaviors is developed and studied, where not only the prey may spread between patches but also the fear effect and counter-attack behavior of the prey are taken into account. First, the stability and existence of coexistence equilibria are presented. The unique positive equilibrium may be a saddle-node or a cusp of codimension 2. Then, various transversality conditions of bifurcations such as saddle-node bifurcation, transcritical bifurcation, Hopf bifurcation and Bogdanov–Takens bifurcation are obtained. Moreover, compared with a single strategy, the multiple anti-predator strategies are more beneficial to the persistence and the population density of prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In North America, white‐nose syndrome (WNS) has caused precipitous declines in hibernating bat populations, raising the question of whether the rapid loss of arthropodivorous bats may affect the abundance of their prey. During the summers of 2015–2018 (1 year after the arrival of WNS in Wisconsin, USA), we performed intensive arthropod black‐light trapping, ultrasonic acoustic monitoring, and emergence counts at 10 little brown (Myotis lucifugus) and big brown (Eptesicus fuscus) bat maternity roosts with paired control sites. For little brown bats, which are severely affected by WNS, roost counts declined by 95% over the four‐year period, compared to a 38% decline in big brown bat roost counts. Total arthropod abundance decreased by 49%, although decreases among common little brown bat prey were less severe. Our natural predator exclusion experiment supports existing evidence that bats can have measurable trophic impacts on arthropod communities, primarily via top‐down effects on common prey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predator–prey interactions are a fundamental part of community ecology, yet the relative importance of consumptive and nonconsumptive effects (NCEs) (defined as a risk‐induced response that alters prey fitness) has not been resolved. Theory suggests that the emergence and subsequent predominance of consumptive or NCEs depend on the given habitat's complexity as well as predator hunting mode and spatial domain sizes of both predator and prey, but their relative influence on the outcome of predator–prey interactions is unknown. We built agent‐based models in NetLogo to simulate predator–prey interactions for three hunting modes—sit‐and‐wait, sit‐and‐pursue, and active—while concurrently simulating large versus small spatial domain sizes for both predators and prey. We studied (1) how hunting mode and spatial domain size interact to influence the emergence of consumptive or NCEs and (2) how, when NCEs do dominate, hunting mode and spatial domain separately or additively determine prey shifts in time, space, and habitat use. Our results indicate consumptive effects only dominate for active predators when prey habitat domains overlap completely with the predator's spatial domain and when sit‐and‐wait and sit‐and‐pursue predators and their prey both have large spatial domains. Prey are most likely to survive when they shift their time but most frequently shift their habitat. Our paper helps to better understand the underlying mechanisms that drive consumptive or NCEs to be most dominant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of foraging behaviour is crucial for understanding several ecological and adaptive processes, as well as for developing conservation measures. While extensive research has been completed on birds and mammals, few studies have been conducted on the learning capabilities of amphibians, particularly those pertaining to foraging behaviour. Amphibians may detect potential prey through distinct sensory systems including visual detection, chemoreception, and mechanoreception. In this study, we tested whether fire salamander larvae shift their prey recognition depending on the prey stimulus typology. We performed behavioural assays to better understand the roles of visual and chemical cues in prey recognition and how a continuative visual stimulus may change behavioural patterns. For this assessment, larvae from different habitats (cave and stream) were reared under laboratory conditions and fed while exposed to accompanying sensory stimuli. Their responses to visual and olfactory cues were measured before and after rearing. Both visual and chemical cues significantly affected the time of approach to the stimulus. The period of rearing significantly interacted with the time of approach for both cues. After rearing, when visual cues occurred, the time of approach was much lower than before rearing. These findings provide a basis for further studies on the role of plasticity in the predator–prey interactions of fire salamander larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]