Simulated Predator Attacks on Flocks: A Comparison of Tactics

Authored by Jure Demsar, Iztok Lebar Bajec

Date Published: 2014

DOI: 10.1162/artl_a_00135

Sponsors: Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS)

Platforms: No platforms listed

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

It is not exactly known why birds aggregate in coordinated flocks. The most common hypothesis proposes that the reason is protection from predators. Most of the currently developed examples of individual-based predator-prey models assume predators are attracted to the center of a highly coordinated flock. This proposed attraction of a predator to a flock would appear to be contradictory to an alternate hypothesis that flocks evolved as a protection against predation. In an attempt to resolve this apparent conflict, in this article we use a fuzzy individual-based model to study three attack tactics (attack center, attack nearest, attack isolated) and analyze the success of predation on two types of prey (social and individualistic). Our simulations revealed that social flocking (as opposed to individualistic behavior) is the optimal anti-predatory response to predators attacking mainly isolated individuals.

Tags

Dynamics movement geometry Model collective behavior birds Prey Flight Fish schools Motion