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Conspecific boldness and predator species determine predation-risk consequences of prey personality

Blake, Chelsea A. LU ; Andersson, Matilda L. ; Hulthén, Kaj LU ; Nilsson, P. Anders LU orcid and Brönmark, Christer LU (2018) In Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 72(8).
Abstract

Abstract: Individual variation in the behavior of prey can influence predation risk in complex ways. We ran individual roach (Rutilus rutilus), a common freshwater fish, through a standard refuge emergence protocol to characterize their boldness, a key animal personality trait. We then paired a bold and a shy roach and exposed the pair to one of two predator species that have contrasting hunting modes to ascertain how personality traits shaped their survival during predator encounters. When a paired bold and shy prey fish interacted with a perch predator (active foraging mode), bold and shy prey were consumed in almost equal numbers. However, pike predators (ambush foraging mode) selectively consumed more shy prey, and prey body size... (More)

Abstract: Individual variation in the behavior of prey can influence predation risk in complex ways. We ran individual roach (Rutilus rutilus), a common freshwater fish, through a standard refuge emergence protocol to characterize their boldness, a key animal personality trait. We then paired a bold and a shy roach and exposed the pair to one of two predator species that have contrasting hunting modes to ascertain how personality traits shaped their survival during predator encounters. When a paired bold and shy prey fish interacted with a perch predator (active foraging mode), bold and shy prey were consumed in almost equal numbers. However, pike predators (ambush foraging mode) selectively consumed more shy prey, and prey body size and boldness score both contributed significantly to which prey fish was eaten. Our findings support the idea that multiple predators with different foraging modes, and hence differential selection on prey personality, could contribute to maintaining variation in personality in prey populations. Furthermore, for social species, including shoaling fish, the ultimate consequences of an individual’s personality may depend upon the personality of its nearby conspecifics. Significance statement: Animals of the same species often look similar, but individuals show differences in their behavior that can have important consequences, for instance when these individuals interact with predators. The common roach is a freshwater fish that shows inter-individual variation in its propensity to take risks, a key personality trait often termed boldness. Variation in boldness may affect the outcome when roach interact with predators, i.e., if they get eaten or survive. However, we found the impact of roachs’ personality type depends on what species of predatory fish they face. When we put a shy and a bold roach together with predatory perch, the roachs’ personality did not significantly affect which individual was eaten. But when the predator was a pike, the predators selectively ate more shy roach, and the likelihood an individual would be eaten depended on their body size.

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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Behavioral type, Boldness, Predator-prey interactions, Social context
in
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
volume
72
issue
8
article number
133
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:85050141389
ISSN
0340-5443
DOI
10.1007/s00265-018-2544-0
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b7a605c0-704b-4cf0-8c2a-8a6e390290cb
date added to LUP
2018-07-31 14:49:44
date last changed
2022-04-02 01:20:52
@article{b7a605c0-704b-4cf0-8c2a-8a6e390290cb,
  abstract     = {{<p>Abstract: Individual variation in the behavior of prey can influence predation risk in complex ways. We ran individual roach (Rutilus rutilus), a common freshwater fish, through a standard refuge emergence protocol to characterize their boldness, a key animal personality trait. We then paired a bold and a shy roach and exposed the pair to one of two predator species that have contrasting hunting modes to ascertain how personality traits shaped their survival during predator encounters. When a paired bold and shy prey fish interacted with a perch predator (active foraging mode), bold and shy prey were consumed in almost equal numbers. However, pike predators (ambush foraging mode) selectively consumed more shy prey, and prey body size and boldness score both contributed significantly to which prey fish was eaten. Our findings support the idea that multiple predators with different foraging modes, and hence differential selection on prey personality, could contribute to maintaining variation in personality in prey populations. Furthermore, for social species, including shoaling fish, the ultimate consequences of an individual’s personality may depend upon the personality of its nearby conspecifics. Significance statement: Animals of the same species often look similar, but individuals show differences in their behavior that can have important consequences, for instance when these individuals interact with predators. The common roach is a freshwater fish that shows inter-individual variation in its propensity to take risks, a key personality trait often termed boldness. Variation in boldness may affect the outcome when roach interact with predators, i.e., if they get eaten or survive. However, we found the impact of roachs’ personality type depends on what species of predatory fish they face. When we put a shy and a bold roach together with predatory perch, the roachs’ personality did not significantly affect which individual was eaten. But when the predator was a pike, the predators selectively ate more shy roach, and the likelihood an individual would be eaten depended on their body size.</p>}},
  author       = {{Blake, Chelsea A. and Andersson, Matilda L. and Hulthén, Kaj and Nilsson, P. Anders and Brönmark, Christer}},
  issn         = {{0340-5443}},
  keywords     = {{Behavioral type; Boldness; Predator-prey interactions; Social context}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{8}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology}},
  title        = {{Conspecific boldness and predator species determine predation-risk consequences of prey personality}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-018-2544-0}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00265-018-2544-0}},
  volume       = {{72}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}