The mechanics of predator–prey interactions: First principles of physics predict predator–prey size ratios

Autor: Sébastien M. J. Portalier, Gregor F. Fussmann, Mehdi Cherif, Michel Loreau
Přispěvatelé: McGill University = Université McGill [Montréal, Canada], Station d'écologie théorique et expérimentale (SETE), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UT3), Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées (OMP), Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Université Fédérale Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Météo France-Centre National d'Études Spatiales [Toulouse] (CNES)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Umeå University, ANR-11-IDEX-0002,UNITI,Université Fédérale de Toulouse(2011)
Rok vydání: 2018
Předmět:
Zdroj: Functional Ecology
Functional Ecology, Wiley, 2019, 33 (2), pp.323-334. ⟨10.1111/1365-2435.13254⟩
ISSN: 1365-2435
0269-8463
DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13254
Popis: Robust predictions of predator-prey interactions are fundamental for the understanding of food webs, their structure, dynamics, resistance to species loss and invasions and role in ecosystem functioning. Most current food web models are empirically based. Thus, they are sensitive to the quality of the data, and ineffective in predicting non-described and disturbed food webs. There is a need for mechanistic models that predict the occurrence of a predator-prey interaction based on the traits of organisms and the properties of their environment.Here, we present such a model that focuses on the predation act itself. We built a Newtonian, mechanical model for the processes of searching, capture and handling of a prey item by a predator. Associated with general metabolic laws, we predict the net energy gain from predation for pairs of predator and prey species depending on their body sizes.Predicted interactions match well with data from the most extensive predator-prey database, and overall model accuracy is greater than the niche model.Our model shows that it is possible to accurately predict the structure of food webs using only a few ecomechanical traits. It underlines the importance of physical constraints in structuring food webs.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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