How patch size and refuge availability change interaction strength and population dynamics: a combined individual- and population-based modeling experiment.

ABSTRACT: Knowledge on how functional responses (a measurement of feeding interaction strength) are affected by patch size and habitat complexity (represented by refuge availability) is crucial for understanding food-web stability and subsequently biodiversity. Due to their laborious character, it is almost impossible to carry out systematic empirical experiments on functional responses across wide gradients of patch sizes and refuge availabilities. Here we overcame this issue by using an individual-based model (IBM) to simulate feeding experiments. The model is based on empirically measured traits such as body-mass dependent speed and capture success. We simulated these experiments in patches ranging from sizes of petri dishes to natural patches in the field. Moreover, we varied the refuge availabi

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5322756 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature