Abstract
A major driver of an organism’s behavior is the perceived risk of predation. A rich body of literature exists on the influence of predation risk on prey, including the non-consumptive effects induced by predators, which highlights how organisms can often reduce their risk of predation through behavioral modifications. There has been an emerging realization that a habitat’s contextual factors, such as habitat features or biological characteristics, can play a significant role in influencing these ecological processes. While our knowledge related to predation risk continues to grow, few studies have focused on how anthropogenic impacts to the environment may influence the ecological processes associated with predator-prey interactions through changes in habitat context, specifically ecological context. Therefore, I evaluated the influence of ecological context on teleost foraging behavior within Biscayne Bay, Florida. Using baited remote underwater video systems (BRUVs), prey foraging behaviors (time of arrival, bait residency time, and bite rate) were quantified and evaluated in relation to temporal (season and time of day), physical (habitat type), anthropogenic (distance from urban center), and biological (predator type and abundance) characteristics of ecological context. Results suggested that temporal characteristics, such as season and time of day, were the most significant variables of ecological context in terms of their influence on both predator and prey abundance and prey behavior. Overall, there was limited support to suggest that biological characteristics, such as predator abundance, had a significant influence on prey foraging behavior. However, it is possible that due to limited nighttime sampling and the absence of samples during crepuscular periods, crucial temporal periods were missed with regard to this analysis. The results of this work highlight the importance of the temporal characteristics of ecological context while also suggesting the need for future work to consider the periods that were not fully assessed by this study.