Early life-history predator-prey reversal in two cyprinid fishes

0479889 - BC 2018 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Šmejkal, Marek - Baran, Roman - Blabolil, Petr - Vejřík, Lukáš - Prchalová, Marie - Bartoň, Daniel - Mrkvička, Tomáš - Kubečka, Jan
Early life-history predator-prey reversal in two cyprinid fishes.
Scientific Reports. Roč. 7, JUL (2017), č. článku 6924. ISSN 2045-2322. E-ISSN 2045-2322
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) 7F14316; GA ČR GPP505/12/P647
Grant - others:AV ČR(CZ) StrategieAV21/9
Program: StrategieAV
Institutional support: RVO:60077344
Keywords : predator-prey relationship * fish spawning * bleak * asp
OECD category: Ecology
Impact factor: 4.122, year: 2017

Predator-prey relationships are often perceived simply as a situation in which a predator enhances its own fitness while reducing the fitness of its prey. However, this relationship may become reversed when the prey feeds on the juvenile predator stages. We investigated this phenomenon in a model asp (Leuciscus aspius, predator)-bleak (Alburnus alburnus, prey) relationship. The adhesive asp eggs are avail able for bleak predation after a spawning event for only tens of seconds before they adhere to the stones, where bleak do not forage. Gut content analysis demonstrated that eggs were utilized in high quantities, especially in the spawning peak of the asp reproductive season. Furthermore, using underwater video, we recorded the bleak feeding efficiency on naturally drifting asp eggs as the percentage of eggs eaten. Within the 40 cm egg trajectory captured by our cameras, total egg mortality was 21.2 ± 2.2% on average. The highest survival chances occurred among eggs drifting in aggregations, since the short drifting distance together with their aggregated distribution satiated bleak and part of the egg aggregation could attach to the spawning ground. This study emphasizes the potential efficiency of predator egg utilization by prey, which may have further consequences in predator-prey dynamics.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0275805