Predator community and resource use jointly modulate the inducible defense response in body height of crucian carp.

ABSTRACT: Phenotypic plasticity can be expressed as changes in body shape in response to environmental variability. Crucian carp (Carassius carassius), a widespread cyprinid, displays remarkable plasticity in body morphology and increases body depth when exposed to cues from predators, suggesting the triggering of an antipredator defense mechanism. However, these morphological changes could also be related to resource use and foraging behavior, as an indirect effect of predator presence. In order to determine whether phenotypic plasticity in crucian carp is driven by a direct or indirect response to predation threat, we compared twelve fish communities inhabiting small lakes in southeast Norway grouped by four categories of predation regimes: no predator fish, or brown trout (Salmo trutta<

SUBMITTER: de Meo I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7920785 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature