Title: | Herbivore-induced infochemicals influence foraging behaviour in two intertidal predators |
Author(s): | Coleman RA; Ramchunder SJ; Davis KM; Moody AJ; Foggo A; |
Address: | "Marine Biology and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK. rcoleman@usyd.edu.au" |
DOI: | 10.1007/s00442-006-0601-2 |
ISSN/ISBN: | 0029-8549 (Print) 0029-8549 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "Herbivore-induced defences appear ubiquitous across most biomes and habitats. Yet the direct correlation between induced changes in host plant chemistry and the population dynamics of the herbivore remain untested in many systems. In plant-herbivore interactions in the terrestrial environment, indirect or tritrophic interactions appear a successful way in which changes in the host plant chemistry induced by prior herbivory can impact on herbivore populations via increased success of natural enemies. This set of interactions remains untested in the marine system. Here, we present work from experiments using orthogonal contrasts of plants with different prior treatments (control, mechanical damage or herbivory) and the presence or absence of herbivores on the foraging behaviour of a crab, Carcinus maenas, and a fish, Lipophrys pholis. These experiments were carried out using a novel flow-through flume, i.e. as a choice chamber supplied by turbulent water from independent cue sources. Our results show that in the Ascophyllum nodosum (plant)-Littorina obtusata (herbivore) system infochemicals from induced plants can directly influence predator foraging behaviour. L. pholis was attracted to the presence of a feeding L. obtusata, but was also more attracted to odours from herbivore-induced tissue than odours from mechanically damaged or naive A. nodosum. C. maenas was more attracted to odours from herbivore-induced tissue compared to naive tissue, regardless of the presence of L. obtusata. This is the first demonstration of such behavioural consequences of herbivore-induced changes in plants for marine systems" |
Keywords: | Analysis of Variance Animals Appetitive Behavior/*physiology Ascophyllum/*chemistry Brachyura/*physiology *Cues *Food Chain *Odorants Perciformes/*physiology Population Dynamics; |
Notes: | "MedlineColeman, Ross A Ramchunder, Sorain J Davis, Kelly M Moody, A John Foggo, Andrew eng Comparative Study Germany 2006/11/16 Oecologia. 2007 Mar; 151(3):454-63. doi: 10.1007/s00442-006-0601-2. Epub 2006 Nov 15" |