Data from: Predator personality structures prey communities and trophic cascades

Intraspecific variation is central to our understanding of evolution and
population ecology, yet its consequences for community ecology are poorly
understood. Animal personality—consistent individual differences in suites
of behaviors – may be particularly important for trophic dynamics, where
predator personality can determine activity rates and patterns of attack.
We used mesocosms with aquatic food webs in which the top predator
(dragonfly nymphs) varied in activity and subsequent attack rates on
zooplankton, and tested the effects of predator personality. We found
support for four hypotheses: 1) active predators disproportionately reduce
the abundance of prey, 2) active predators select for predator-resistant
prey species, 3) active predators strengthen trophic cascades (increase
phytoplankton abundance), and 4) active predators are more likely to
cannibalize one another, weakening all other trends when at high
densities. These results suggest that intraspecific variation in predator
personality is an important determinant of prey abundance, community
composition, and trophic cascades.