9408397 Werner In this project the investigators are studying the consequnces of phenotypic plasticity to ecological performance of larval anurans. They will identify the the factors that trigger the phenotypic change that occurs in the presence of predators and measure the dose response to inducing cues. They will determine the mechanisms by which the morphological and behavioral shifts influence competitive ability and defense against predators. They will also study how interactions with predators, leading to phenotypic shifts, can influence the competitive interactions between species at the same trophic level. This research will yield new insights into the relationship between phenotypic plasticity, ecological performance, and ecological community structure. This relationship is of great potential importance but has received very little study. These studies should result in the development of mechanistic models that predict the interactions between organisms and the optimal combinations of phenotypic traits in different environments. The results should have applications in conservation biology, management of biodiversity, and natural resource management.
