title: Phenotypically plastic neophobia: a response to variable predation risk.
abstract: Prey species possess a variety of morphological, life history and behavioural adaptations to evade predators. While specific evolutionary conditions have led to the expression of permanent, non-plastic anti-predator traits, the vast majority of prey species rely on experience to express adaptive anti-predator defences. While ecologists have identified highly sophisticated means through which naive prey can deal with predation threats, the potential for death upon the first encounter with a predator is still a remarkably important unresolved issue. Here, we used both laboratory and field studies to provide the first evidence for risk-induced neophobia in two taxa (fish and amphibians), and argue that phenotypically plastic neophobia acts as an adaptive anti-predator strategy for vulnerable prey dealing with spatial and temporal variation in predation risk. Our study also illustrates how risk-free maintenance conditions used in laboratory studies may blind researchers to adaptive anti-predator strategies that are only expressed in high-risk conditions.
authors: Department of Biology, Concordia University, 7141 Sherbrooke St West, Montreal, Qubec, Canada H4B 1R6. gbrown@algol.concordia.ca
authors: Grant E
authors: GE
authors: Brown
authors: Maud C O
authors: MC
authors: Ferrari
authors: Chris K
authors: CK
authors: Elvidge
authors: Indar
authors: I
authors: Ramnarine
authors: Douglas P
authors: DP
authors: Chivers
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D023681:Cichlids / Q000502:physiology*; D007753:Laboratories; D007814:Larva; D010641:Phenotype; D011036:Poecilia / Q000502:physiology*; D011235:Predatory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D011898:Ranidae / Q000502:physiology*; D012307:Risk Factors
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