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Reactions of Gammarus lacustris to Chemical Stimuli from Natural Predators and Injured Conspecifics

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Abstract

We exposed the freshwater amphipod Gammarus lacustris, to chemical stimuli from injured conspecifics and to chemical stimuli from two types of natural predators: dragonfly larvae (Aeshna eremita) and northern pike (Esox lucius). Exposure to all three stimuli caused G. lacustris to reduce significantly its level of activity relative to activity recorded in response to a distilled water control. The similarity in responses to chemicals associated with predators and to injured conspecifics suggests the presence of an alarm pheromone within the body tissues of G. lacustris. In response to chemical stimuli from pike, G. lacustris tended to reduce its time in the water column and spend more time near the bottom of the test aquaria. However, no such trend was apparent in response to chemical stimuli from dragonfly larvae. The differences in response to chemical stimuli from pike and larval dragonflies suggest that G. lacustris does not have a rigid behavioral response to predation risk; instead, antipredator behavior may be modified to maximize avoidance of predators that are active in different microhabitats.

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  1. Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, 112 Science Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, S7N 5E2

    Karen Wudkevich, Brian D. Wisenden, Douglas P. Chivers & R. Jan F. Smith

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  1. Karen Wudkevich
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  3. Douglas P. Chivers
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Wudkevich, K., Wisenden, B.D., Chivers, D.P. et al. Reactions of Gammarus lacustris to Chemical Stimuli from Natural Predators and Injured Conspecifics. J Chem Ecol 23, 1163–1173 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000006393.92013.36

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOEC.0000006393.92013.36

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