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Changes in metabolic rate of spiny lobster under predation risk

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 19:45 authored by Briceno, FA, Elias Polymeropoulos, Quinn FitzgibbonQuinn Fitzgibbon, Dambacher, JM, Gretta PeclGretta Pecl
Animals exposed to high levels of predation risk may exhibit a variety of changes in life history, behaviour, physiology and morphology that can affect survival. Under predation threat, prey individuals may increase their aerobic metabolism to allocate energy toward escaping behaviours (e.g. ‘fight or flight’), although the associated energetic cost of such behaviour remains largely unknown. Lobsters display different anti-predatory responses, such as sheltering and/or escaping, but the underlying energetic cost of such responses has not been examined. Here, we tested the aerobic metabolic response of southern rock lobsters Jasus edwardsii in the presence of predator (Maori octopus Octopus maorum) olfactory cues (kairomones) using open-flow respirometry. We examined the routine metabolic rate of lobsters in response to predator kairomones during the active phase of their diurnal cycle (at night) to investigate the physiological anti-predator response when lobsters are most vulnerable. Our findings revealed that lobsters strongly reduced their routine metabolism for 3 h by 31.4% when exposed to kairomones in comparison to controls. Our findings suggest that under laboratory conditions, lobsters exposed to predation risk during the night reduce their activity to avoid predators, i.e. the anti-predator mechanism is to be immobile or inactive rather than showing a fight-or-flight response. Lobster immobility may be an energetically advantageous anti-predator response in the short term; however, prolonged or regular predator exposure could have significant consequences on foraging time and foraging area, with an overall impact on lobster performance, particularly in environments with high predator presence such as fishing grounds.

History

Publication title

Marine Ecology Progress Series

Volume

598

Pagination

71-84

ISSN

0171-8630

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Inter-Research

Place of publication

Nordbunte 23, Oldendorf Luhe, Germany, D-21385

Rights statement

© Inter-Research 2018

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Wild caught rock lobster; Marine biodiversity; Expanding knowledge in the biological sciences

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