Growth, developmental, and size structure responses in tadpole prey under increasing threat from gape-limited newts

Abstract

Size variability within a cohort can have profound effects on community ecology and evolution. Although competition for resources generally increases size variability, the effect of (non-consumptive) predation on this demographic trait remains relatively poorly understood. Existing models suggest a positive correlation between growth rate (mediated by resource level) and expression of size variability (as measured by the coefficient of variation) in prey cohorts. We tested this prediction by exposing the tadpoles of the Japanese Forest Green Treefrog (Rhacophorus arboreus (Okada and Kawano, 1924) = Zhangixalus arboreus (Okada and Kawano, 1924)) to the non-lethal presence of gape-limited Japanese Fire-bellied Newts (Cynops pyrrhogaster (Boie, 1826)) at low and high predator densities in an outdoor mesocosm experiment. Tadpole growth rates and periphyton biomass increased with newt density. But in contrast to prediction, elevated growth rates did not increase but, reversely, decreased cohort size variability in the tadpoles. We discuss two potential mechanisms behind this outcome. First, increased resource availability mediated by predator feeding may have reduced the strength of competition, ultimately leading to more evenly distributed resource gains among individuals; second, if smaller individuals grew relatively faster than larger individuals, as to quicken entry to a size refuge against the gape-limited predator, then inter-individual size differences could diminish over time.