The activity level-predation risk paradigm of community assembly is based on observable trade-offs between activity level and predation risk. Many species that live in ephemeral habitats are relatively more active, grow faster, and metamorphose sooner than those in more permanent habitats, thus enabling them to survive by escaping drying ponds. Species with high activity levels are shown to be superior competitors in temporary ponds, but are at greater risk of predation by visually cued predators. We take a comprehensive approach to testing if the activity-predation paradigm drives community assembly of a four-species guild of larval anurans through field surveys and a series of laboratory experiments quantifying their activity level, anti-predatory responses, swim performance, and escape behavior. Activity level was a good predictor of susceptibility to predation and habitat association for most species in our study, but not all species fit the pattern. Secondary anti-predator mechanisms contributed to differences in susceptibility to predation. Some species were more capable of avoiding predation through swim performance and escape behavior, thus allowing them to occupy a greater range of the water permanency continuum than was predicted by activity level alone. Because performance traits are deeply rooted, evolutionary history plays a major role in determining tadpole performance and life-history traits. Whole-organism performance traits (e.g., swim performance, escape behavior) have not generally been considered in the classic activity-predation paradigm. Our results show that accounting for individual and species-level performance reveals the understudied, yet important role of species-specific performance traits in disentangling the mechanisms driving community assembly.

中文翻译：

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完善无尾幼虫群落的活动水平-捕食风险范式

社区集会的活动水平-捕食风险范式基于活动水平和捕食风险之间可观察到的权衡。许多生活在短暂栖息地的物种相对更活跃，生长更快，比更永久栖息地的物种更早变态，从而使它们能够通过逃离干涸的池塘生存。活动水平高的物种在临时池塘中被证明是优越的竞争者，但更容易被视觉提示的捕食者捕食。我们采用综合方法来测试活动捕食范式是否会通过实地调查和一系列实验室实验来驱动四类无尾蚴幼虫公会的社区组装，量化它们的活动水平、反捕食反应、游泳表现和逃跑行为. 活动水平是我们研究中大多数物种对捕食和栖息地关联的易感性的良好预测指标，但并非所有物种都符合该模式。次要的反捕食者机制导致了对捕食的易感性差异。一些物种通过游泳表现和逃跑行为更有能力避免捕食，从而使它们能够占据比单独通过活动水平预测的更大范围的水永久连续体。由于性能特征根深蒂固，进化史在决定蝌蚪的性能和生活史特征方面起着重要作用。整个生物体的表现特征（例如，游泳表现、逃逸行为）在经典的活动捕食范式中通常没有被考虑在内。