Pathways to the density-dependent expression of cannibalism, and consequences for regulated population dynamics.

Autor: Rosenheim JA; Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California, Davis, California, USA., Schreiber SJ; Department of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis, California, USA.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Ecology [Ecology] 2022 Oct; Vol. 103 (10), pp. e3785. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Jul 21.
DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3785
Abstrakt: Cannibalism, once viewed as a rare or aberrant behavior, is now recognized to be widespread and to contribute broadly to the self-regulation of many populations. Cannibalism can produce endogenous negative feedback on population growth because it is expressed as a conditional behavior, responding to the deteriorating ecological conditions that flow, directly or indirectly, from increasing densities of conspecifics. Thus, cannibalism emerges as a strongly density-dependent source of mortality. In this synthesis, we review recent research that has revealed a rich diversity of pathways through which rising density elicits increased cannibalism, including both factors that (a) elevate the rate of dangerous encounters between conspecifics and (b) enhance the likelihood that such encounters will lead to successful cannibalistic attacks. These pathways include both features of the autecology of cannibal populations and features of interactions with other species, including food resources and pathogens. Using mathematical models, we explore the consequences of including density-dependent cannibal attack rates on population dynamics. The conditional expression of cannibalism generally enhances stability and population regulation in single-species models but also may increase opportunities for alternative states and prey population escape from control by cannibalistic predators.
(© 2022 The Ecological Society of America.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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