Cannibalism can be beneficial even when its mean yield is less than one.
Two types of adult-on-juvenile cannibalism are discussed and differentiated: those with "mean yield of cannibalism" greater than one, and those with mean yield less than one. Two extant models--one continuous and one discrete--in which cannibalism is beneficial only when the mean yield exceeds one are reviewed and compared. The discrete model is modified and analyzed to demonstrate that cannibalism can be beneficial even when the mean yield is less than one.
Henson
S M
SM
Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, USA.
D000818:Animals; D002190:Cannibalism; D004463:Ecology; D008954:Models, Biological; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D011157:Population Dynamics