Predator pheromone elicits a temporally dependent non-consumptive effect in prey

The influence of predator cues on the behaviour of prey is well supported in the literature; however, a clear understanding of how predator cues affect prey in variable environmental conditions and over longer time scales is needed to better understand the underlying mechanisms. Here, we measure how predator odors affect herbivore colonization, abundance, oviposition, and plant damage across two growing seasons. The study system consisted of Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Colorado potato beetle) as prey, and the aggregation pheromone of live Podisus maculiventris (spined soldier bug) as the predator cue in a potato field. In 2016, the amount of feeding damage by early beetle colonists was lower in predator odor‐treated plots, reducing plant damage by 22%. Larval abundance was also reduced in treated plots in 2016. Beetle abundance and damage in 2017 was similar in the treatment and control plots. Two mechanisms were investigated to better understand why prey response to the predato...捕食者信号对猎物行为的影响在现有文献中已有充分佐证；然而，学界仍需进一步明晰在可变环境条件与更长时间尺度下，捕食者信号如何作用于猎物，以更好地解析其背后的潜在作用机制。本研究测定了两个生长季内，捕食者气味对植食性昆虫定殖、种群丰度、产卵行为以及植物受害程度的影响。 本试验系统以马铃薯甲虫（Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Colorado potato beetle）为猎物，以活的益蝽（Podisus maculiventris, spined soldier bug）的聚集信息素作为捕食者信号，试验场地为马铃薯田。 2016年，早期定殖的甲虫造成的取食危害在捕食者气味处理样地中显著更低，植物受害程度降低了22%；同时2016年处理样地中的幼虫种群丰度也有所下降。2017年，处理组与对照组样地的甲虫种群丰度及危害程度无显著差异。本研究探讨了两种潜在机制，以解析猎物对捕食者信号产生响应的原因……