Data for: Functional response metrics explain and predict high but differing ecological impacts of juvenile and adult lionfish

Recent accumulation of evidence across taxa indicates that the ecological
impacts of invasive alien species are predictable from their Functional
Response (FR; e.g. the maximum feeding rate) and Functional Response Ratio
(FRR; the FR attack rate/handling time ratio). Here, we experimentally
derive these metrics to predict the ecological impacts of both juvenile
and adult lionfish (Pterois volitans), one of the world’s most damaging
invaders, across representative and likely future prey types. Potentially
prey-population destabilising Type II FRs were exhibited by both life
stages of lionfish towards four prey species: Artemia salina, Gammarus
oceanicus, Palaemonetes varians and Nephrops norvegicus. FR magnitudes
revealed ontogenetic shifts in lionfish impacts, while lionfish FRR values
were substantially higher than mean FRR values across known damaging
invasive taxa. Thus, both life stages of lionfish are predicted to
contribute to differing but high ecological impacts across prey
communities, including commercially important species. With lionfish
invasion ranges currently expanding across multiple regions globally,
efforts to reduce lionfish numbers and population size structure, and
provision of prey refugia through habitat complexity, might reduce their
impacts. However, early detection and complete eradication of individuals
located in new regions is advised.