Effects of predator exposure on Hsp70 expression and survival in tadpoles of the Common Frog (Rana temporaria)

Abstract

Predator-induced changes in prey behavior and morphology are widespread, but little is known about physiological and cellular-level responses in prey in response to predation risk. We investigated whether predator (larvae of the dragonfly Aeshna Fabricius, 1775) presence elevated the expression level of heat-shock protein 70 (Hsp70)-a commonly found response to stress-in tadpoles of the Common Frog (Rana temporaria L., 1758). In another experiment, we tested the survival of tadpoles in the presence of a free-ranging predator. Prior to this encounter, the tadpoles were exposed to either an Hsp-inducing environmental stress in the form of heat (31 °C) or to predator cues from a caged predator. We found no evidence for increased Hsp70 expression in tadpoles either in the presence of fed or starved predators. We did not find any effects of prior exposure to neither heat nor predator presence on survival at the end of experiment. Our results do not point to either Hsp70-mediated effect of predator-induced responses or to beneficial effects of the stress response on survival under predation risk.