Mediation of trophic cascades by anti-predatory responses - Livestream

Trophic cascades, the positive indirect effect predators have on the basal resource, are a key component of predator-prey interactions. The strength of trophic cascades is determined by both the predators’ consumption of prey and the extent to which predators induce an anti-predatory response in prey - colloquially termed a ‘fear response.’ Here, we examine the role of fear in mediating the strength of trophic cascades using a combination of modeling and experimental approaches. Our experiments explore how perturbations in the sensory environment can alter the strength of predator-prey interactions and how the nature of fear responses can affect these interactions. Additionally, we test the effects of previous predator exposure on prey behavior and the implications for trophic cascades. And in the final study, we measure how predator identify and type of fear response can influence the role of fear in trophic cascades.

Speaker: Gabriel Ng, Smithsonian Institution

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