Fig 9. Projected predator and prey relationships.

Summary of the observed relationships between predator (stickleback) and prey (whitefish) behaviour at different prey length classes: A) Hunting success of sticklebacks decreases with prey size, which was shown to be correlated to B) an increase in complexity of predator avoidance behaviours. A and B are based on previously published data from the same experiment [33]. The current study indicates that: C) predators more often adjust their swimming direction when following larger whitefish larvae; D) larger whitefish are increasingly adept at detecting the start of the hunt as measured by an increase in swimming speed; B+D could explain why predators increasingly need to adjust their track C) which in turn might decrease hunting performance (A).