9410297 Kats Cannibalism has been documented in a wide variety of kinds of animals. However, given recent emphasis on predator-prey interactions, few studies have examined mechanisms that mediate predation on members of the same species. Adult California newts prey on both eggs and larvae of the same species. Dr. Kats has demonstrated in both laboratory and field experiments that newt larvae respond to chemical cues from adults by increasing the amount of time they spend in refuge. On 2 November 1993, a wildfire burned Dr. Kats's primary study site near Malibu, California. There are virtually no studies on the effects of major fire disturbances on animal behavior. To determine the effects of fire on chemically mediated newt cannibalism, Dr. Kats and his students will test two hypotheses: (1) Changes in stream water caused by runoff from recently burned hillsides will interfere with the detection of intraspecific predator cues by California newt larvae, and (2) changes in stream water caused by runoff from recently burned hillsides will interfere with the egg-eating behavior of adult California newts. These hypotheses are particularly exploratory in nature because no previous study has attempted to examine the effects of wildfire on chemically mediated animal behavior. Results from the experiments to be conducted by Dr. Kats and his students could make significant contributions to understanding the effects of unpredictable environmental disturbances and perturbations (wildfire in this case) on behavioral interactions.
