Abstract
Dispersal of prey from predator-free patches frequently supplies a trophic subsidy to predators by providing more prey than are produced locally. Prey arriving from predator-free patches might also have evolved weaker defenses against predators and thus enhance trophic subsidies by providing easily captured prey. Using local models assuming a linear or accelerating tradeoff between defense and population growth rate, we demonstrate that immigration of undefended prey increased predator abundances and decreased defended prey through eco-evolutionary apparent competition. In individual-based models with spatial structure, explicit genetics, and gene flow along an environmental gradient, prey became maladapted to predators at the predator’s range edge, and greater gene flow enhanced this maladaptation. The predator gained a subsidy from these easily captured prey, which enhanced its abundance, facilitated it's persistence in marginal habitats, extended its range extent, and enhanced range shifts during environmental changes, such as climate change. Once the predator expanded, prey adapted to it, and the advantage disappeared, resulting in an elastic predator range margin driven by ecoevolutionary dynamics. Overall, the results indicate a need to consider gene flow-induced maladaptation and species interactions as mutual forces that frequently determine ecological and evolutionary dynamics and patterns in nature.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 590-612 |
Number of pages | 23 |
Journal | The American Naturalist |
Volume | 194 |
Issue number | 4 |
Early online date | 21 Aug 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Oct 2019 |
Bibliographical note
MU, JT, & GB jointly conceived the study, AS and MU conducted the mathematical analyses, GB conducted the individual based modeled, and MU led the writing supported by all other authors. MU was supported by NSF award DEB-1555876 and the James S. McDonnell Foundation, JT was supported by The Royal Society University Research Fellowship, and AS was supported by BBSRC grant BB/S507349/1. We thank S. Brady, A. Hendry, and A. Gonzalez for inviting us to present this research at the Maladaptation symposium at the 2018 American Society of Naturalists’ meeting. We thank J. Travis, three anonymous reviewers, and G. Grant for stimulating discussions of the topic.Keywords
- eco-evolution
- predator-prey interactions
- local adaptation
- gene flow
- climate change
- Climate change
- Gene flow
- Local adaptation
- Eco-evolution
- Predator-prey interactions
- INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION
- ANTIPREDATOR DEFENSES
- ECO-EVOLUTIONARY DYNAMICS
- COEVOLUTION
- CLIMATE-CHANGE
- SPECIES RANGE
- GENE FLOW
- ENERGY ACQUISITION
- DISPERSAL
- FOOD SUPPLEMENTATION
Fingerprint
Dive into the research topics of 'Maladapted Prey Subsidize Predators and Facilitate Range Expansion'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Profiles
-
Greta Bocedi
Person: Academic
-
Justin Travis
- Biological Sciences, Aberdeen Centre For Environmental Sustainability - Personal Chair
- Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS) - Professor
Person: Academic