Perceived Predation Risk Reduces the Number of Offspring Songbirds Produce per Year

Predator effects on prey demography have traditionally been ascribed solely to direct killing in studies of population ecology and wildlife management. Predators also affect the prey's perception of predation risk, but this has not been thought to meaningfully affect prey demography. We isolate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2011-12, Vol.334 (6061), p.1398-1401
Main Authors: Zanette, Liana Y., White, Aija F., Allen, Marek C., Clinchy, Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal behavior
Animal nesting
Animal reproduction
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Aves
Biological and medical sciences
Birds
Breeding seasons
Demecology
Demography
Egg masses
Eggs
Fear
Female
Female animals
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Male
Nesting Behavior
Oviposition
Perception
Perceptions
Population Dynamics
Population Growth
Predation
Predators
Predatory Behavior
Reproduction
Risk
Risk factors
Seasons
Songbirds
Sparrows
Sparrows - physiology
Vertebrata
Vocalization, Animal
Wildlife
Wildlife management
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Summary:Predator effects on prey demography have traditionally been ascribed solely to direct killing in studies of population ecology and wildlife management. Predators also affect the prey's perception of predation risk, but this has not been thought to meaningfully affect prey demography. We isolated the effects of perceived prédation risk in a free-living population of song sparrows by actively eliminating direct predation and used playbacks of predator calls and sounds to manipulate perceived risk. We found that the perception of predation risk alone reduced the number of offspring produced per year by 40%. Our results suggest that the perception of predation risk is itself powerful enough to affect wildlife population dynamics, and should thus be given greater consideration in vertebrate conservation and management.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1210908