Effects of perceptual and movement ranges on joint predator-prey distributions

Authored by Barney Luttbeg, Michael E Fraker

Date Published: 2012

DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0706.2012.20496.x

Sponsors: United States National Science Foundation (NSF)

Platforms: C

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

We developed a spatially-explicit individual-based model to study how limited perceptual and movement ranges affect spatial predatorprey interactions. Earlier models of predatorprey space games were often developed by modifying ideal free distribution models, which are spatially-implicit and also assume that individuals are omniscient, although some more recent models have relaxed these assumptions. We found that under some conditions, the spatially-explicit model generated similar predictions to previous models. However, the model showed that limited range in a spatially-explicit context generated different predictions when 1) predator density and range are both small, and 2) when the predator movement range varied while the prey range was small. The model suggests that the differences were the result of 1) movement range changing the value of information sources and thus changing the behavior of individual predators and prey and 2) movement range limiting the ability of individuals to exploit the environment.

Tags

Decision-Making Risk ideal-free distribution Population-dynamics Food-web Habitat selection games Foraging games Patch choice Shell games Space use