Procedural effects of prey tethering experiments: predation of juvenile scallops by crabs and sea stars

摘要: This study examines the effects of an experimental tethering procedure often used in field predation experiments. In laboratory experiments, juvenile sea scallops Placopecten magellanicus, either free or tethered, were offered to predatory crabs Cancer irroratus and stars Asterias vulgaris. The effect on rates was specific a predator-prey interaction could be predcted based understanding underlying behavioural mechanisms. crab-scallop interactions, encounter rate major determinant rate. Since did not affect rates, it significantly by crabs. contrast, star-scallop probability capturing encountered Tethering limited scallops' escape response, which increased capture and, hence, Therefore, assessment relative importance these 2 predators determining would biased procedure. scallop survival experiments differential