Multiple preferred escape trajectories are explained by a geometric model incorporating prey's turn and predator attack endpoint
- Nagasaki University, Japan
- The Institute of Statistical Mathematics, Japan
- CNR-IAS, Italy
Abstract
The escape trajectory (ET) of prey - measured as the angle relative to the predator's approach path - plays a major role in avoiding predation. Previous geometric models predict a single ET; however, many species show highly variable ETs with multiple preferred directions. Although such a high ET variability may confer unpredictability to avoid predation, the reasons why animals prefer specific multiple ETs remain unclear. Here, we constructed a novel geometric model that incorporates the time required for prey to turn and the predator's position at the end of its attack. The optimal ET was determined by maximizing the time difference of arrival at the edge of the safety zone between the prey and predator. By fitting the model to the experimental data of fish Pagrus major, we show that the model can clearly explain the observed multiple preferred ETs. By changing the parameters of the same model within a realistic range, we were able to produce various patterns of ETs empirically observed in other species (e.g., insects and frogs): a single preferred ET and multiple preferred ETs at small (20-50°) and large (150-180°) angles from the predator. Our results open new avenues of investigation for understanding how animals choose their ETs from behavioral and neurosensory perspectives.
Data availability
The datasets (Dataset1-5) of the escape response in P. major, used for statistical analysis and figures, and the R code (Source code 1-3) for the mathematical model, statistical analysis, and figures are available in Figshare: https://figshare.com/s/bea4ee4e7f7664ccd80c.
Article and author information
Author details
Funding
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grants-in-Aid for Young Scientists B,17K17949)
- Yuuki Kawabata
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research on Innovative Areas,19H04936)
- Yuuki Kawabata
Sumitomo Foundation (Grant for Environmental Research Projects,153128)
- Yuuki Kawabata
ISM Cooperative Research Program (2014-ISM.CRP-2006)
- Yuuki Kawabata
- Ken-ichiro Shimatani
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.
Ethics
Animal experimentation: The animal care and experimental procedures were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the Faculty of Fisheries (Permit No. NF-0002), Nagasaki University in accordance with the Guidelines for Animal Experimentation of the Faculty of Fisheries and the Regulations of the Animal Care and Use Committee, Nagasaki University.
Copyright
© 2023, Kawabata et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
Metrics
-
- 1,659
- views
-
- 274
- downloads
-
- 6
- citations
Views, downloads and citations are aggregated across all versions of this paper published by eLife.
Download links
A two-part list of links to download the article, or parts of the article, in various formats.
Downloads (link to download the article as PDF)
Open citations (links to open the citations from this article in various online reference manager services)
Cite this article (links to download the citations from this article in formats compatible with various reference manager tools)
Multiple preferred escape trajectories are explained by a geometric model incorporating prey's turn and predator attack endpoint
eLife 12:e77699.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.77699
Further reading
-
- Ecology
Environmental factors can influence ecological networks, but these effects are poorly understood in the realm of the phylogeny of host-parasitoid interactions. Especially, we lack a comprehensive understanding of the ways that biotic factors, including plant species richness, overall community phylogenetic and functional composition of consumers, and abiotic factors such as microclimate, determine host-parasitoid network structure and host-parasitoid community dynamics. To address this, we leveraged a 5-year dataset of trap-nesting bees and wasps and their parasitoids collected in a highly controlled, large-scale subtropical tree biodiversity experiment. We tested for effects of tree species richness, tree phylogenetic, and functional diversity, and species and phylogenetic composition on species and phylogenetic diversity of both host and parasitoid communities and the composition of their interaction networks. We show that multiple components of tree diversity and canopy cover impacted both, species and phylogenetic composition of hosts and parasitoids. Generally, phylogenetic associations between hosts and parasitoids reflected nonrandomly structured interactions between phylogenetic trees of hosts and parasitoids. Further, host-parasitoid network structure was influenced by tree species richness, tree phylogenetic diversity, and canopy cover. Our study indicates that the composition of higher trophic levels and corresponding interaction networks are determined by plant diversity and canopy cover, especially via trophic links in species-rich ecosystems.
-
- Ecology
Optimal foraging theory posits that foragers adjust their movements based on prey abundance to optimize food intake. While extensively studied in terrestrial and marine environments, aerial foraging has remained relatively unexplored due to technological limitations. This study, uniquely combining BirdScan-MR1 radar and the Advanced Tracking and Localization of Animals in Real-Life Systems biotelemetry system, investigates the foraging dynamics of Little Swifts (Apus affinis) in response to insect movements over Israel’s Hula Valley. Insect movement traffic rate (MoTR) substantially varied across days, strongly influencing swift movement. On days with high MoTR, swifts exhibited reduced flight distance, increased colony visit rate, and earlier arrivals at the breeding colony, reflecting a dynamic response to prey availability. However, no significant effects were observed in total foraging duration, flight speed, or daily route length. Notably, as insect abundance increased, inter-individual distances decreased. These findings suggest that Little Swifts optimize their foraging behavior in relation to aerial insect abundance, likely influencing reproductive success and population dynamics. The integration of radar technology and biotelemetry systems provides a unique perspective on the interactions between aerial insectivores and their prey, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of optimal foraging strategies in diverse environments.
