Randomized trial examines how predator presence affects behavior in poison frog tadpoles, indicating important ecological implications.
Key Points
This research investigates how predation risk affects behavior variation among and within poison frog tadpoles in natural settings.
Studied poison frog (Allobates femoralis) tadpoles in pools with and without dragonfly larvae, n=217 total (n=48 exposed to predators, n=169 not exposed).
Measured distance moved and time to emerge from shelter over 4 repeated trials.
Analyzed behavioral differences between predator-exposed and predator-naïve tadpoles.
Predator-exposed tadpoles moved less, emerged later on their first trial, and showed more unpredictable emergence times compared to predator-naïve ones.
Among-individual variation in behavior was greater in predator-exposed tadpoles, but overall behavioral repeatability was similar between groups.
Personality-plasticity association was noted; predator-exposed individuals that moved less showed less change in behavior across trials.