Variation in foraging success among predators and its implications for population dynamics

Authored by Toshinori Okuyama

Date Published: 2017

DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2633

Sponsors: Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

The effects of the expected predation rate on population dynamics have been studied intensively, but little is known about the effects of predation rate variability (i.e., predator individuals having variable foraging success) on population dynamics. In this study, variation in foraging success among predators was quantified by observing the predation of the wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata on the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus in the laboratory. A population model was then developed, and the effect of foraging variability on predator-prey dynamics was examined by incorporating levels of variation comparable to those quantified in the experiment. The variability in the foraging success among spiders was greater than would be expected by chance (i.e., the random allocation of prey to predators). The foraging variation was density-dependent; it became higher as the predator density increased. A population model that incorporates foraging variation shows that the variation influences population dynamics by affecting the numerical response of predators. In particular, the variation induces negative density-dependent effects among predators and stabilizes predator-prey dynamics.

Tags

Individual-based model Efficiency Prey Consumption Functional-response experiments Mutual interference Egg limitation Spiders Individual variation Functional response Numerical response