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Effects of Predation Risk and Food Availability on the Activity, Habitat Use, Feeding Behavior and Mating Behavior of a Pond Water Strider, Gerris marginatus (Hemiptera)
Author(s) -
Moses Jennifer L.,
Sih Andrew
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
ethology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.739
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-0310
pISSN - 0179-1613
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0310.1998.tb00100.x
Subject(s) - predation , mating , biology , hemiptera , ecology , habitat , heteroptera , gerridae , feeding behavior , zoology
By experimentally manipulating predation risk and food availability, we explored the effects of these factors on refuge use, general activity, feeding activity, and mating activity of adults of the pond water strider Gerris marginatus. Predation risk (from adult backswimmers Notonecta undulata ) profoundly influenced the behavior of G. marginatus , reducing mating activity, general activity in males and females, decreasing feeding activity in females and increasing the use of refuge by both sexes. Surprisingly, variations in food availability failed to produce significant effects on any of these behavior patterns. Risk x food interactions were also not statistically significant for any gerrid behavior. The significant responses to predators all changed in directions that should decrease the risk of predation for G. marginatus.