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Abstract Predator and prey traits are important determinants of the outcomes of trophic interactions. In turn, the outcomes of trophic interactions shape predator and prey trait evolution. How species' traits respond to selection from trophic interactions depends crucially on whether and how heritable species' traits are and their genetic correlations. Of the many traits influencing the outcomes of trophic interactions, body size and movement traits have emerged as key traits. Yet, how these traits shape and are shaped by trophic interactions is unclear, as few studies have simultaneously measured the impacts of these traits on the outcomes of trophic interactions, their heritability, and their correlations within the same system.We used outcrossed lines of the ciliate protistParamecium caudatumfrom natural populations to examine variation in morphology and movement behaviour, the heritability of that variation, and its effects onParameciumsusceptibility to predation by the copepodMacrocyclops albidus.We found that theParameciumlines exhibited heritable variation in body size and movement traits. In contrast to expectations from allometric relationships, body size and movement speed showed little covariance among clonal lines. The proportion ofParameciumconsumed by copepods was positively associated withParameciumbody size and velocity but with an interaction such that greater velocities led to greater predation risk for large body‐sized paramecia but did not alter predation risk for smaller paramecia. The proportion of paramecia consumed was not related to copepod body size. These patterns of predation risk and heritable trait variation in paramecia suggest that copepod predation may act as a selective force operating independently on movement and body size and generating the strongest selection against large, high‐velocity paramecia.Our results illustrate how ecology and genetics can shape potential natural selection on prey traits through the outcomes of trophic interactions. Further simultaneous measures of predation outcomes, traits, and their quantitative genetics will provide insights into the evolutionary ecology of species interactions and their eco‐evolutionary consequences. Read the freePlain Language Summaryfor this article on the Journal blog.
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This content will become publicly available on March 14, 2027
Temperature stress disrupts reciprocal adaptation in a microbial predator-prey system
Abstract Antagonist interactions, such as predator-prey interactions, are widespread in nature and drive both ecological and evolutionary outcomes. Coevolutionary outcomes of antagonistic interactions have been shown to be influenced by environmental conditions, yet the role of abiotic stress in modifying these outcomes remains insufficiently understood. Here we explored how the addition of temperature stress altered evolutionary trajectories of traits of both species in the Pseudomonas fluorescens – Tetrahymena pyriformis (bacteria- ciliate) predator prey system. We found that temperature stress impeded the evolution of traits important for antagonistic interactions in both species. Prey defense levels as well as predators’ ability to eat prey were limited under temperature stress. We also found that the addition of temperature stress altered growth rate evolution in evolving populations of both species. Taken together, our results show that temperature stress not only alters the evolutionary trajectories of both predator and prey traits but also hinders their coevolution. These findings suggest that environmental stressors may weaken reciprocal coevolution which could have important consequences for the stability and persistence of ecological communities.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2342961
- PAR ID:
- 10675759
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Evolutionary Biology
- ISSN:
- 1420-9101
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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