Phenotypically plastic neophobia: a response to variable predation risk.

Prey species possess a variety of morphological, life history and behavioural adaptations to evade predators. While specific evolutionary conditions have led to the expression of permanent, non-plastic anti-predator traits, the vast majority of prey species rely on experience to express adaptive anti-predator defences. While ecologists have identified highly sophisticated means through which naive prey can deal with predation threats, the potential for death upon the first encounter with a predator is still a remarkably important unresolved issue. Here, we used both laboratory and field studies to provide the first evidence for risk-induced neophobia in two taxa (fish and amphibians), and argue that phenotypically plastic neophobia acts as an adaptive anti-predator strategy for vulnerable prey dealing with spatial and temporal variation in predation risk. Our study also illustrates how risk-free maintenance conditions used in laboratory studies may blind researchers to adaptive anti-predator strategies that are only expressed in high-risk conditions.

Citation

Grant E Brown, Maud C O Ferrari, Chris K Elvidge, Indar Ramnarine, Douglas P Chivers. Phenotypically plastic neophobia: a response to variable predation risk. Proceedings. Biological sciences. 2013 Apr 07;280(1756):20122712

Mesh Tags

PMID: 23390103

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