Meeting Abstract
In this experiment, we studied how lifelong exposure to predators affects the anti-predator behavior and survival of freshwater snails (Physa acuta) and their offspring. We exposed F1 snails to either a “predator treatment” (P) consisting of non-lethal crayfish cues or a “control treatment” (C) consisting of dechlorinated water. We divided the offspring (F2 snails) from each F1 snail treatment into predator and control treatments, resulting in four possible parent-offspring treatment combinations (CC, CP, PC, PP). The treatments were applied for four weeks. We measured how snails from each treatment responded to predators by placing them individually in deli cups and recording their movement around the cup in the presence and absence of crayfish cue. F1 and F2 snails reacted to the predator condition by moving up towards the waterline or out of the water, regardless of treatment. Throughout the behavioral assay, F1 and F2 snails from the predator treatment spent less time out of the water than control treatment snails. The amount of time the F2 snails spent out of the water was not affected by their parent’s treatment. We measured the survival of snails in the presence of a lethal predator by placing mixed treatment groups of snails into an arena with a live crayfish and recording survival for each treatment. F1 snails from the predator treatment were killed faster than snails from the control treatment during survival tests. The survival time of F2 snails was not effected by their parent’s treatment. Overall, lifelong exposure to predator cue may have important effects on the anti-predator behavior and survival of individuals exposed to predators, but not their offspring.
