A coastal predator-prey system, juvenile green crabs () preying upon juvenile hard clams (), was used to explore the link between crab predation rates and clam density and small-scale distribution patterns. The channel working area of a racetrack flume was adapted to form a sedimentary arena in a flowing seawater system (5 cm s) to assess crab predation rates in relation to clam density and distribution patterns (clams clustered in one patch vs two nearby vs two farther apart). The trials detected significant differences in relation to clam initial density and distribution with strong (∼50%) declines in clam mortality levels among spatial arrangements (one patch > two nearby > two farther apart). Feeding of clams was associated with the time taken by crabs to handle the first clam (first patch), and the frequency of three distinct types of crab behavior (eating, resting, and searching). Altogether these results suggest that small-scale changes in number and distribution of juvenile clams matter and may have unexpectedly strong effects on the outcome of predator-prey interactions.

中文翻译：

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沿海环境中捕食者与被捕食者的相互作用：将螃蟹摄食率与蛤的小规模分布联系起来

沿海捕食者-被捕食系统，幼年绿蟹 () 捕食幼年硬蛤 ()，用于探索螃蟹捕食率与蛤密度和小规模分布模式之间的联系。跑道水槽的通道工作区域经过改造，在流动的海水系统（5 cm s）中形成沉积场所，以评估与蛤密度和分布模式相关的螃蟹捕食率（蛤聚集在一个斑块中，与附近的两个蛤，与较远的两个蛤）分开）。试验发现，蛤的初始密度和分布存在显着差异，空间排列（一个斑块 > 两个附近 > 两个相距较远的斑块）的蛤死亡率水平大幅下降 (∼50%)。蛤的喂食与螃蟹处理第一个蛤（第一块）所需的时间以及螃蟹三种不同类型行为（进食、休息和搜索）的频率有关。总而言之，这些结果表明，幼年蛤的数量和分布的小规模变化很重要，并且可能对捕食者与猎物相互作用的结果产生意想不到的强烈影响。