Reinterpreting space, time lags, and functional responses in ecological models.
Natural enemy-victim interactions are of major applied importance and of fundamental interest to ecologists. A key question is what stabilizes these interactions, allowing the long-term coexistence of the two species. Three main theoretical explanations have been proposed: behavioral responses, time-dependent factors such as delayed density dependence, and spatial heterogeneity. Here, using the powerful moment-closure technique, we show a fundamental equivalence between these three elements. Limited movement by organisms is a ubiquitous feature of ecological systems, allowing spatial structure to develop; we show that the effects of this can be naturally described in terms of time lags or within-generation functional responses.
Keeling
M J
MJ
Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, UK. matt@zoo.cam.ac.uk
Wilson
H B
HB
Pacala
S W
SW
D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D017753:Ecosystem; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009068:Movement; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012098:Reproduction; D013269:Stochastic Processes; D013997:Time Factors