Biological Sciences, School of
School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
First Advisor
Anthony Joern
Committee Members
Lance Meinke, William Wagner
Date of this Version
5-1999
Document Type
Thesis
Citation
A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate College of the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science
Major: Biological Sciences
Under the supervision of Professor Anthony Joern
Lincoln, Nebraska, May 1999
Abstract
Identification of interactive units in food webs is particularly important in population and community ecology. Intraguild predation has gained much attention recently with the recognition of its prevalence in the field, although its significance has not been fully studied. Nature contains much more complex interactions than a simple food chain. Yet, much theory still focuses on the trophic levels connected in a single linear chain. In this thesis, I study intraguild predation including the consideration of animal behavior whose importance is also often neglected in population and community ecology.
First, the concepts of intraguild predation and animal behavior are introduced. By using jumping spiders Phidippus audax and Salticus scenicus, I document the prevalence and characteristics of intraguild predation in jumping spiders. In addition, I describe adaptive foraging behavior in jumping spiders. By using these descriptive studies as a basis, I analyze a system of intraguild predation with a mathematical model which incorporates the adaptive foraging behavior of animals. Lastly, I present laboratory experiments to characterize the species interactions in an intraguild predation system. The results of these chapters emphasize the importance of recognizing finer interactive links and their identities. Failure to do so will result in the misinterpretation of many ecological processes.
Advisor: Anthony Joern
Comments
Copyright 1999, Toshinori Okuyama. Used by permission