Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, Québec, Canada.
Adv Mar Biol. 2010;57:277-306. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-381308-4.00010-8.
We consider predation as a function of prey concentration with a focus on how this interaction is influenced by biological-physical interactions, and wider oceanographic processes. In particular, we examine how the anti-predation behaviour of Northern krill interacts with ocean-circulation process to influence its vulnerability to predation. We describe how three-dimensional (3D) circulation interacts with in situ light levels to modulate predator-prey interactions from small to large scales, and illustrate how the stability of the predator-prey system is sometimes perturbed as a consequence. Northern krill predators include a wide range of species from the pelagic and benthic strata, as well as birds. Many exhibit adaptations in their feeding strategy to take advantage of the dynamic physical-biological processes that determine the distribution, concentration and vulnerability of Northern krill. Among them, baleen whales appear to have developed particularly efficient predation strategies. A literature search indicates that Northern krill are a major contributor to ecosystem function throughout its distributional range, and a key species with respect to the flow of energy to upper trophic levels. A list of future research needed to fill gaps in our understanding of Northern krill predator-prey interaction is provided.
我们将捕食视为猎物浓度的函数，重点研究这种相互作用如何受到生物物理相互作用和更广泛的海洋过程的影响。特别是，我们研究了北方磷虾的抗捕食行为如何与海洋环流过程相互作用，从而影响其被捕食的脆弱性。我们描述了三维（3D）环流如何与现场光照水平相互作用，从而在从小尺度到大尺度上调节捕食者-猎物相互作用，并说明捕食者-猎物系统的稳定性如何因某些原因受到干扰。北方磷虾的捕食者包括从浮游层和海底层到鸟类的多种物种。许多物种在其觅食策略中都有适应性，以利用决定北方磷虾分布、浓度和脆弱性的动态物理-生物过程。其中，须鲸似乎已经发展出了特别有效的捕食策略。文献检索表明，北方磷虾在其分布范围内是生态系统功能的主要贡献者，也是能量流向更高营养级的关键物种。提供了一份未来研究的清单，以填补我们对北方磷虾捕食者-猎物相互作用理解的空白。
