Human-induced reductions in fish predator boldness decrease their predation rates in kelp forests.

ABSTRACT: Humans have restructured food webs and ecosystems by depleting biomass, reducing size structure and altering traits of consumers. However, few studies have examined the ecological impacts of human-induced trait changes across large spatial and temporal scales and species assemblages. We compared behavioural traits and predation rates by predatory fishes on standard squid prey in protected areas of different protection levels and ages, and found that predation rates were 6.5 times greater at old, no-take (greater than 40 years) relative to new, predominantly partial-take areas (approx. 8 years), even accounting for differences in predatory fish abundance, body size and composition across sites. Individual fishes in old protected areas consumed prey at nearly twice the rate of fishes of the

SUBMITTER: Rhoades OK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6501691 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature