• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2008

In this minireview we focus on how males may exploit female's sensitivity to predation risk in the context of mating. It has been shown in studies on guppies and jumping spiders that in response to altered female behaviors, which are adaptations to the unfavorable environment and a consequence of females' higher sensitivity to predator's presence as well as females' higher predation risk, males can adopt condition-dependent mating tactics. It appears that in such cases males do not modify their reproductive behavior directly in response to their own perception of predation risk, but indirectly in response to changes in female behavior induced by predator presence. It has also been recently shown in crabs that males can exploit female behavior by creating safer habitat spots, which increases the male mating success. Hence all the evidence suggests that males not only respond to female sensitivity to the natural variation in predation risk, but that males can also exploit female behavior by altering the environment. As a logical extension of these findings, we present a hypothesis that in certain conditions males can manipulate the environment in order to increase the predation risk and to induce female behaviors that enhance the male's mating success with the increased predation risk. We propose that such a manipulation to increase predation risk is expected to evolve in males of species with a strong sexual conflict and female-biased predation risk. Although empirical evidence has not been yet shown, initial observations in a water strider species in Korea, Gerris gracilicornis, seem to support this hypothesis.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.137-143
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• 2009

Pre-dispersal seed predation by a granivorous bird, the masked grosbeak (Eophona personata, Fringillidae), was investigated in two bird-dispersed trees, Celtis sinensis and Aphananthe aspera (Ulmaceae). The objectives of this study were to 1) measure direct damage of predation by grosbeaks on plant crops, 2) reveal the temporal pattern of predation within each tree species and its causal factors, and 3) test whether foraging grosbeaks hinder foraging of frugivorous birds, thereby indirectly impacting the reproduction of both tree species. A substantial amount of fruit and seed crop was consumed by grosbeaks (24.3% in Celtis; 55.5% in Aphananthe), and only 17.7% (Celtis) and 16.7% (Aphananthe) were removed by frugivorous birds. At the study site, the grosbeak population size fluctuated greatly during the fruiting seasons of both plant species. As for Celtis, predated seed density also fluctuated temporally, and the local population size of grosbeaks was responsible for predated seed density. In Aphananthe, predation was not fully explained by grosbeak populations or plant phenology, but its peak coincided with that of grosbeak population. These results suggest that predispersal seed predation by granivorous birds can have large negative impacts on the bird-dispersed plants. Changes in local population size of granivorous birds can influence predatation and can affect reproductive success of the bird-dispersed plants available to the birds.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.485-491
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• 2013

This study examined the cannibalistic polyphenism of larval salamander Hynobius leechii by the level of predation risk. Salamander eggs were collected from three regions (Mountain Inwang, Mountain Surak and Gwangju). Eggs were treated by three different risk conditions: (1) high risk, predation risk three times a day; (2) medium risk, predation risk once a day; and (3) low risk, no predation risk. Predation risk was conducted using a chemical cue from Chinese minnows. The chemical cue treatment started from the day of collection and ended one week after hatching. Post-treatment measurements were head width at the level of the eyes (HWE), largest head width (LHW), and Snout-vent length of the each larva. To compare the morphological change according to the predation risk, we modified the two head size, HWE and LHW, to HWE/LHW. A significant difference in HWE/LHW and snout-vent length was evident according to the level of predation risk. And larval mortality was increase by the predation risk. The results indicate that predation risk can cause cannibalistic polyphenism of larval salamander and this morphological change could influence larval mortality.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.666-672
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• 2011

This study examined the different growth rate of larval salamander Hynobius leechii by the predation risk. We collected salamander's eggs from Mountain Inwang. Eggs were treated by two different conditions: (1) cue - which had a predation risk three times a day; (2) no cue - which had no predation risk. Predation risk was conducted by using chemical cue from Chinese minnows. The chemical cue treatment started from the next day after the collection and ended one week after the hatching. Between the first week and the second week after the hatching we fed salamander larvae with tubifex ad. libitium. After the treatment phase, we measured snout - vent length of the each larva on the first week and the second week after the hatching. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the growth rate by the predation risk. From these results we found that predation risk can cause the different growth rate to the larval salamander and these changes could be affect their mortality.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.45 no.2 s.143
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• pp.145-152
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• 2006

Predation of Neoseiulus fallacis was observed for biological control of Panonychus citri that is one of the major insect pests on citrus. The daily predation of development stages of P. citri by an adult female of N. fallacis were 20.1 eggs, 26.1 larvae, 18.2 protonymphs, and 7.4 deutonymphs at 25$^{\circ}C$, The daily predation of P. citri eggs by N, fallacis was observed under different temperatures. The predation was increased as the temperature rise. At this time, ratio of eggs production of l! fallacis after predation of P. citri eggs (number of eggs N. fallacis/number of eggs P. citri consumed by N. fallacis) was 0.09. The daily predation of P. citri eggs by N, fallacis was 21.1, 17.3, and 16.7 on the different arenas (diameter: 20, 40, and 60 mm), respectively. The predation was decreased as the arena of the leaf increase. The functional response of M fallacis to P. citri showed Holling's Type II response: the consumption of prey by N. fallacis increased as the density of prey increase but increasing rate was gradually reduced. As the result, it seemed that N. fallacis can be use for biological control of P. citri.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2015

In this study, the dependence of local conspecific abundance on seed set and predation was examined, and determinates of population density of the temperate tree species Carpinus laxiflora (Betulaceae) in Inagi city, Tokyo, Japan were identified. During a good seed year (2013), seeds were sampled from 27 individuals and categorized as Sound, Empty, Predated, Immature, Decayed, or Broken. Empty seeds were identified as those that failed to fertilize and predation rates were defined as the proportion of seeds that were affected by predators. The proportion of the seed set that was fertilized was significantly positively correlated with local abundance of conspecific trees, while the proportion of seeds that escaped predation was significantly negatively correlated with local abundance of conspecific trees. Thereby, the production of Sound seeds was highest at sites with moderate local conspecific abundance. Although this phenomenon was only observed in a few cases, it clearly showed optimal reproductive success under conditions of moderate density of conspecific reproductive adults, suggesting a mechanism that controls the population density of this species.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.93-97
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• 2022

Evasion, approach and predation are examples of innate behaviour that are fundamental for the survival of animals. Uniting these behaviours is the assessment of threat, which is required to select between these options. Far from being comprehensive, we give a broad review over recent studies utilising optic techniques that have identified neural circuits and genetic identities underlying these behaviours.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 2009

For last 150 years, blackbirds have moved from their ancestral habitat, the woodland edge, to man-made habitats such as farmland, parks and gardens. These alternative habitats have become one of main blackbird habitats. I compared density of nests and blackbirds in parks, woodland and campus of University of East Anglia to investigate habitat preference. Blackbirds preferred the area covered by $10\sim50%$ of tree or bush patches for their foraging and nesting sites. Blackbirds were more frequently found near buildings rather than far from buildings. Nest characteristics did not affect predation rate and nest preference. This study suggests that man-made habitats may be important for avoiding predation.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.39 no.spc1
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• pp.142-150
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• 2006

We examined the effect of predation by observing the changes in macrobenthic communities in a tidal flat at Seonjae, Korea, following the exclusion of large predators such as birds, fishes and crustaceans using protective screens. We conducted two interference experiments in the field from April to November 2004: (1) Experiment 1 was conducted at a mid-tidal flat in the western part of Seonjae-do, Incheon, Korea, (2) Experiment 2 was set up at a low tidal flat in the eastern part of Seonjae-do. predator exclusion showed different effects in the two experiments. Both the number of species and density were reduced by 20% in Experiment 1. Whereas in Experiment 2, they increased by up to 13% and 69%, respectively. In Experiment 1, a high density of brachyuran crabs observed in the treatment may have caused the difference in community composition between the treatment and the control, and this probably resulted from active predation of macrofauna (e.g., small crabs) under protection from megafaunal predators such as birds and fishes. However, in Experiment 2, as typically observed in other predator exclusion experiments, a lower density of benthic predators and the subsequent reduction of over predation probably resulted in a more diverse and abundant benthic community in the treatment. We confirmed that predation was a contributing factor in the formation of the macrobenthic community. We also demonstrated relationships that exist among different trophic groups (large predators, macrobenthic predators and prey) and what effects and responses occur in each component of the tidal flats.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.744-750
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• 2010

This study examined the different polyphenism of larval salamander Hynobius ieechii according to two habitats, pond and stream. We collected salamander's eggs from three regions including Mountain Inwang, Surak and Gwangju. Eggs were treated by four different conditions according to predation level and habitat: high risk - which had a predation risk three times a day; low risk - which had no predation risk, pond and stream habitat. Predation risk was conducted by using chemical cue from Chinese minnows. The chemical cue treatment started from the day of collection and ended one week after the hatching. After the treatment phase, we measured the head width at the level of the eyes(HWE) and the largest head width(LHW) and snout-vent length of the each larva. We calculated the ratio of the head size by dividing HWE by LHW and made a comparison with each of the average ratio of head size according to the predation risk. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the ratio of the head size and snout-vent length according to the predation risk and habitat. From these results we found that predation risk and habitat condition can cause the different polyphenism to the larval salamander and these morphological changes could be affect their mortality.