Present address: USGS Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Department of Zoology and Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.
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Habitat structure mediates predation risk for sedentary prey: experimental tests of alternative hypotheses
Article first published online: 24 NOV 2008
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01506.x
© 2008 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2008 British Ecological Society
Additional Information
How to Cite
Chalfoun, A. D. and Martin, T. E. (2009), Habitat structure mediates predation risk for sedentary prey: experimental tests of alternative hypotheses. Journal of Animal Ecology, 78: 497–503. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2008.01506.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 31 MAR 2009
- Article first published online: 24 NOV 2008
- Received 3 January 2007; accepted 24 October 2008; Handling Editor: Brett Sandercock
- Abstract
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Keywords:
- Brewer's sparrow;
- habitat selection;
- nest site;
- potential-prey-site hypothesis;
- total-foliage hypothesis
Summary
- 1Predation is an important and ubiquitous selective force that can shape habitat preferences of prey species, but tests of alternative mechanistic hypotheses of habitat influences on predation risk are lacking.
- 2We studied predation risk at nest sites of a passerine bird and tested two hypotheses based on theories of predator foraging behaviour. The total-foliage hypothesis predicts that predation will decline in areas of greater overall vegetation density by impeding cues for detection by predators. The potential-prey-site hypothesis predicts that predation decreases where predators must search more unoccupied potential nest sites.
- 3Both observational data and results from a habitat manipulation provided clear support for the potential-prey-site hypothesis and rejection of the total-foliage hypothesis. Birds chose nest patches containing both greater total foliage and potential nest site density (which were correlated in their abundance) than at random sites, yet only potential nest site density significantly influenced nest predation risk.
- 4Our results therefore provided a clear and rare example of adaptive nest site selection that would have been missed had structural complexity or total vegetation density been considered alone.
- 5Our results also demonstrated that interactions between predator foraging success and habitat structure can be more complex than simple impedance or occlusion by vegetation.