Destabilizing effects on a classic tri-trophic oyster-reef cascade

How interactions among multiple predators affect the stability of trophic cascades is a topic of special ecological interest. To examine factors affecting the stability of the classic tri-trophic oyster reef cascade within a different context, configurations of three predators, including the Gulf toadfish, Gulf stone crab, and oystershell mud crab, were manipulated together with either oyster shell or limestone gravel substrate within a multiple predator effects (MPE) experiment. Additionally, a complimentary set of trait-mediated-indirect interaction (TMII) experiments examined the inhibition of oyster consumption relative to mud-crab size and top predator identity in the absence of other cues and factors. The classic tri-trophic cascade formed by the toadfish-mud crab-oyster configuration was potentially weakened by several interactions within the MPE experiment. Consumption of oysters and mud crabs by the intraguild stone crab was undeterred by the presence of toadfish. Although mud ..., Dataset established through compilations of laboratory experiments consisting of mesocosms comprising multiple predator species and juvenile oysters as prey - the response variables reflect predation mortality on the basal prey, juvenile oysters, and on the intermediate predator, the mud crab - files represent data for (1) multiple predator effect experiments and (2) for trait-mediated indirect effect (TMII) experiments.
, Data files are uploaded as IBM SPSS files which can be viewed in flatfile or variable definition formats - the latter format provides metafile contextual information for the variables