The expansion wave of an invasive predator leaves declining waterbird populations behind

Aim: Theory predicts that the evolutionary adaptations of prey to reduce predator pressure often fail in confrontation with non-native predators; thus, their predation usually leads to sharp declines of prey populations. However, over time, prey can develop anti-predator adaptations, reduce predator impact and recover its population. We analyse the numerical response of multiple prey species to the impact of a non-native predator on a large spatiotemporal scale.
Location: Poland
Methods: Long-term population dynamics of 13 waterbird species breeding in 123 sites were analysed with reference to the present and historical distribution of mink over 40 years. We rescaled the temporal waterbird dynamics to the time elapsed since the mink colonized each site.
Results: The steepest waterbird declines were recorded up to 15 years after establishment of the mink population, and in that period, waterbird abundance averaged across the 13 studied species declined by 50% but certain species showed d...

研究目的：理论预测，猎物为降低捕食者捕食压力演化出的适应性策略，在遭遇非本土捕食者时往往失效；因此外来捕食者的捕食通常会导致猎物种群数量急剧下降。不过随着时间推移，猎物可演化出反捕食适应性策略，削弱捕食者的影响并实现种群恢复。本研究在大时空尺度下，分析了多猎物种群对非本土捕食者影响的数量响应。
研究区域：波兰
研究方法：本研究针对123个繁殖位点上的13种水鸟的长期种群动态展开分析，同时参考了40余年时间跨度内水貂（mink）的当前与历史分布范围。本研究将水鸟的时间动态按照水貂定植各个位点后的历时时长进行了重新标度。
研究结果：水鸟种群下降幅度最大的时段为水貂种群定植后的前15年，此期间13个研究物种的水鸟总丰度平均下降了50%，但部分物种呈现出……