Inducible defenses and rotifer food chain dynamics

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Inducible defenses and rotifer food chain dynamics
Sophia Kochalski

19.05.2009

• Irene Van der Stap, Matthijs Vos and Wolf M.
  Mooij
• Hydrobiologia (2007) 593 103-110

KAIROMONES
ASPLANCHNA
Phenotypic plasticity
SCENEDESMUS
BRACHIONUS
FOOD WEB
INFOCHEMICALS
Predator-prey interactions
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What is it about?
Inducible defenses
phenotypic changes in prey organisms in
response to cues associated with of a predator
(e.g. kairomones)
Variation in handling time and/ or attack rates
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What is it about?
Inducible defenses on individual level
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Hypothesis

• Inducible defenses prevent strong populations
  fluctuations in food chains

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Prediction from theory
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Bitrophic food chain
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Results
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Tritrophic food chain
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Results
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Conclusions
Induced defenses clearly promote stability and
persistence in food chains
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Thank you!