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How optimally foraging predators promote prey coexistence in a variable environment

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  • Stump, Simon Maccracken
  • Chesson, Peter

Abstract

Optimal foraging is one of the major predictive theories of predator foraging behavior. However, how an optimally foraging predator affects the coexistence of competing prey is not well understood either in a constant or variable environment, especially for multiple prey species. We study the impact of optimal foraging on prey coexistence using an annual plant model, with and without annual variation in seed germination. Seed predators are modeled using Charnov’s model of adaptive diet choice. Our results reveal that multiple prey species can coexist because of this type of predator, and that their effect is not greatly modified by environmental variation. However, in diverse communities, the requirements for coexistence by optimal foraging alone are very restrictive. Optimally foraging predators can have a strong equalizing effect on their prey by creating a competition–predation trade-off. Thus, their main role in promoting diversity may be to reduce species-average fitness differences, making it easier for other mechanisms, such as the storage effect, to allow multiple species to coexist. Like previous models, our model showed that when germination rates vary, the storage effect from competition promotes coexistence. Our results also show that optimally foraging predators can generate a negative storage effect from predation, undermining coexistence, but that this effect will be minor whenever predators commonly differentiate their prey.

Suggested Citation

  • Stump, Simon Maccracken & Chesson, Peter, 2017. "How optimally foraging predators promote prey coexistence in a variable environment," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 40-58.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:thpobi:v:114:y:2017:i:c:p:40-58
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tpb.2016.12.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Stump, Simon Maccracken & Chesson, Peter, 2015. "Distance-responsive predation is not necessary for the Janzen–Connell hypothesis," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 60-70.
    2. Chesson, Peter & Kuang, Jessica J., 2010. "The storage effect due to frequency-dependent predation in multispecies plant communities," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 78(2), pages 148-164.
    3. Yuan, Chi & Chesson, Peter, 2015. "The relative importance of relative nonlinearity and the storage effect in the lottery model," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 39-52.
    4. Mathias, Andrea & Chesson, Peter, 2013. "Coexistence and evolutionary dynamics mediated by seasonal environmental variation in annual plant communities," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 56-71.
    5. Holt, Galen & Chesson, Peter, 2014. "Variation in moisture duration as a driver of coexistence by the storage effect in desert annual plants," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 36-50.
    6. Kuang, Jessica J. & Chesson, Peter, 2010. "Interacting coexistence mechanisms in annual plant communities: Frequency-dependent predation and the storage effect," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 77(1), pages 56-70.
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    Cited by:

    1. Schreiber, Sebastian J., 2020. "When do factors promoting genetic diversity also promote population persistence? A demographic perspective on Gillespie’s SAS-CFF model," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 141-149.

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