NDLI: The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system.

Content Provider	World Health Organization (WHO)-Global Index Medicus
Author	Wu, Xinwei Griffin, John N. Xi, Xinqiang Sun, Shucun
Spatial Coverage	Tibet
Description	Country affiliation: China Author Affiliation: Wu X ( Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.); Griffin JN ( Department of Biosciences, Wallace Building, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK.); Xi X ( Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.); Sun S ( Department of Ecology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210093, China.)
Abstract	Theory and experiments show that the nature of 'green' trophic cascades, between predators, herbivores and plants, varies with several key species traits: predator hunting mode and predator and prey habitat domains. Meanwhile, 'brown' cascades between predators, environment-modifying detritivores and plants have been largely overlooked and the roles of species traits, particularly prey traits, in determining the nature of these cascades remains unclear. We hypothesize that, in predator-detritivore-plant interaction chains, the burrowing ability of plant-facilitating detritivores determines their response to predators and thus the sign of indirect effect transmitted. In the dung-decomposer food web of an alpine meadow, we predicted that in the presence of above-ground predacious beetles: (i) non-burrowing detritivores will suffer mortality due to predation and transmit negative indirect effects to plants, whereas (ii) burrowing detritivores will escape predation by retreating deeper into the soil, transmitting positive indirect effects to plants. In support of predictions, experiments showed that a single species of predacious beetle (i) reduced the density of the non-burrowing species and indirectly reduced dung loss rate, soil nutrient concentrations and plant biomass, but (ii) drove the burrowing species deeper, indirectly improved soil conditions and increased plant biomass. These results show that the burrowing ability of a detritivore can determine whether it transmits a negative indirect effect mediated by a reduction in its density, or a positive indirect effect mediated by its behavioural response to predation risk. We call for further tests of our detritivore-trait hypothesis in different regions and ecosystems to further develop a general trait-based framework for trophic cascades in detrital food webs. We further advance the general hypothesis that the locomotion traits of prey species (e.g. burrowing/flying ability) may help explain their behavioural response to predation risk and the nature of indirect effect they transmit from predators to plants.
File Format	HTM / HTML
ISSN	00218790
e-ISSN	13652656
Journal	Journal of Animal Ecology
Issue Number	6
Volume Number	84
Language	English
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell
Publisher Date	2015-11-01
Publisher Place	Great Britain (UK)
Access Restriction	One Nation One Subscription (ONOS)
Subject Keyword	Discipline Environmental Health Discipline Zoology Beetles Physiology Food Chain Predatory Behavior Animals Locomotion Species Specificity Research Support, Non-u.s. Gov't
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Animal Science and Zoology Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics

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Data from: The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system (Dataset)

Fear begets function in the 'brown' world of detrital food webs.

Cannibalism and intraguild predation of eggs within a diverse predator assemblage.

Eating chemically defended prey: alkaloid metabolism in an invasive ladybird predator of other ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

Testing predator-prey theory using broad-scale manipulations and independent validation.

Effects of plant gross morphology on predator searching behaviour.

Inducible offences affect predator-prey interactions and life-history plasticity in both predators and prey.

Trait-mediated functional responses: predator behavioural type mediates prey consumption.

Behavioural and physiological responses of limpet prey to a seastar predator and their transmission to basal trophic levels.

The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system.

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Data from: The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system (Dataset)

Fear begets function in the 'brown' world of detrital food webs.

Cannibalism and intraguild predation of eggs within a diverse predator assemblage.

Eating chemically defended prey: alkaloid metabolism in an invasive ladybird predator of other ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

Testing predator-prey theory using broad-scale manipulations and independent validation.

Effects of plant gross morphology on predator searching behaviour.

Inducible offences affect predator-prey interactions and life-history plasticity in both predators and prey.

Trait-mediated functional responses: predator behavioural type mediates prey consumption.

Behavioural and physiological responses of limpet prey to a seastar predator and their transmission to basal trophic levels.

The sign of cascading predator effects varies with prey traits in a detrital system.