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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
general
Predatory functional response and prey choice identify predation differences between native/invasive and parasitised/unparasitised crayfish
PLoS ONE, Volume 7, No. 2, Article e32229, Year 2012
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Description
Background: Invasive predators may change the structure of invaded communities through predation and competition with native species. In Europe, the invasive signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus is excluding the native white clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes. Methodology and Principal Findings: This study compared the predatory functional responses and prey choice of native and invasive crayfish and measured impacts of parasitism on the predatory strength of the native species. Invasive crayfish showed a higher (>10%) prey (Gammarus pulex) intake rate than (size matched) natives, reflecting a shorter (16%) prey handling time. The native crayfish also showed greater selection for crustacean prey over molluscs and bloodworm, whereas the invasive species was a more generalist predator. A. pallipes parasitised by the microsporidian parasite Thelohania contejeani showed a 30% reduction in prey intake. We suggest that this results from parasite-induced muscle damage, and this is supported by a reduced (38%) attack rate and increased (30%) prey handling time. Conclusions and Significance: Our results indicate that the per capita (i.e., functional response) difference between the species may contribute to success of the invader and extinction of the native species, as well as decreased biodiversity and biomass in invaded rivers. In addition, the reduced predatory strength of parasitized natives may impair their competitive abilities, facilitating exclusion by the invader. © 2012 Haddaway et al.
Authors & Co-Authors
Haddaway, Neal Robert
United Kingdom, Bangor
Bangor University
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
Griffiths, Hannah M.
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
Dunn, Alison M.
United Kingdom, Leeds
University of Leeds
Statistics
Citations: 90
Authors: 3
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1371/journal.pone.0032229
ISSN:
19326203