Episodic disturbance events modify predator-prey interactions in soft sediments

• Physical disturbance events are common in shallow soft-sediment habitats and can have significant effects on predator-prey interactions. While several studies have reported on predator aggregations following disturbance events, few studies have investigated the mechanisms and interactive effects of predation and physical disturbance on prey survival in shallow soft-sediment habitats. In this study the interactive effects of sediment resuspension and predation by two contrasting epibenthic predator species were tested on the survival of the amphipod Corophium volutator in a laboratory experiment. The shrimp Crangon crangon and juvenile plaice Pleuronectes platessa were used as predators, both numerical dominants in shallow soft sediments on the Swedish west coast. In addition we quantified epibenthic predator aggregation in the field following small-scale disturbances. In the laboratory, synergistic negative effects of predation and non-lethal disturbance on Corophium survival were found with both predator species, and rapid aggregation of several mobile epibenthic predator species following disturbance was demonstrated in the field. Abundances of C. crangon, the numerically dominant predator in the field, were doubled in disturbed patches within 2 min following disturbance. Our study emphasises the importance of considering episodic small-scale disturbances when interpreting predation effects and trophic interactions in shallow soft-sediment systems. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Ekologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Ecology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

disturbance

estuary

foraging strategy

predation

synergism

SHRIMP CRANGON-CRANGON

PLAICE PLEURONECTES-PLATESSA

SHALLOW MARINE

AREAS

COROPHIUM-VOLUTATOR

JUVENILE PLAICE

FOOD SELECTION

WESTERN

SWEDEN

COMMUNITIES

CONSUMPTION

COMPETITION

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)