Unequal competitor ideal free distributions: predictions for differential effects of interference between habitats
Authored by S Humphries, GD Ruxton, der Meer J Van
Date Published: 2001
DOI: 10.1046/j.0021-8790.2001.00561.x
Sponsors:
United Kingdom Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Nuffield Foundation
Platforms:
No platforms listed
Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Mathematical description
Model Code URLs:
Model code not found
Abstract
1. Unequal competitor ideal free distribution (IFD) models that deal
with the effects of interference allow for the relaxation of several
unrealistic assumptions of the basic I FD model. We used the recently
developed interact ion-matrix method to examine the general case where
the effect of interference can vary between patches, one previously
unexplored in the literature.
2. An analytical approach revealed that mixed solutions are not possible
for the case of differential interference between patches. However, simulations from an individual-based model suggest that, when numbers of
individuals similar to those commonly used in empirical tests of the IFD
are considered, mixed solutions are in fact predicted.
3. This discrepancy can only be detected by the use of individual-based
models, and may help to explain the lack of certain previously predicted
distributions in empirical tests of the theory. We suggest that future
work should employ individual-based models to better link empirical
tests with analytic theory.
Tags
models
Individuals
Food
Predators
Larus-argentatus
Abilities