Fished species uniformly reduced escape behaviors in response to protection

摘要: Abstract Predation is a critical ecological process that alters the structure and functioning of ecosystems through density-mediated trait-mediated effects on lower trophic levels. Although studies have focused harvest-driven reductions in abundances sizes targeted species, human harvest also species morphologies, life histories, behaviors by selection, plasticity, shifts interactions. Restricting can recover biomass but it less clear how behavioral phenotypes recover, particularly relative to impacts potentially opposing pathways influence. We investigated protection traits marine fish assemblage, recording behavior 1377 individual fishes nine kelp forest across 16 California protected areas (MPAs) varying age, level, diver visitation. With long-term, full from harvest, all exhibited shorter flight initiation distance (FID, or at which an animal flees approaching threat) longer time delays before fleeing, despite differences position, microhabitat use, other characteristics. These escape were amplified new MPAs regardless suggesting recovery slow likely result genetic early-life experience among individuals these long-lived species. partially offset recovering populations large piscivorous predators, net effect was FID. Additionally, had FID sites more frequently visited divers, this greater with fishing. To extent correlated foraging predation rates, results suggest human-induced changes may affect ecosystem processes, even after recovered. If services are management goal, assessments should be broadened include functional (including behavior).