Periwinkle climbing response to water- and airbone predator chemical cues may depend on home-marsh geography

PeerJ

article

John M. Carroll¹  Morgan B. Church²  Christopher M. Finelli² 

[1] Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University;Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington

关键词: Saltmarsh periwinkle;    Littorina irrorata;    Escape response;    Predator cues;    Biogeography;    Waterborne cues;    Airborne cues;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.5744

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

The salt marsh periwinkle, Littorina irrorata, exhibits a spatial refuge from predation by climbing the stems of Spartina alterniflora in order to avoid benthic predators. Salt marsh periwinkles have a broad geographic distribution, and for many species, responses to predators also varies with biogeography. This study sought to determine if the geographical location of the home marsh influenced the response of periwinkles (climbing height) to blue crab predator cues both via air and water. Snails from Louisiana (LA) climbed higher in general than those from North Carolina (NC), regardless of chemical cue. However, LA snails climbed 11 cm higher in the presence of waterborne predators than control snails with no cue, while NC snails only climbed five cm higher in the same comparisons. Airborne chemical cue tended to have snails climbing at intermediate heights. These responses were significantly enhanced when both populations of snails were housed together. Periwinkle response to predator cues was stronger in LA than NC, and so it is possible that the behavioral response of these snails to predators varies with biogeography of the home marsh. Also interestingly, the results of this study also suggest that cue delivery is probably occurring via mechanisms other than water, and potentially via airborne cues. Therefore, salt marsh periwinkles likely respond to numerous cues that initiate behavioral responses, including airborne cues, and these responses may vary by home-marsh geography.

【 授权许可】

CC BY