title: Habitat edges and predator-prey interactions: effects on critical patch size.
abstract: We use partial differential equation models to examine the effects of cross-edge incursions by a predator on the persistence or extinction of a patch-resident prey species. For each of two predator-incursion profiles (namely, a constant incursion distance and a constant loss rate for predators during incursions), we examine the conditions under which the predator can (and cannot) influence the critical patch size of a prey species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, University of Miami, P.O. Box 249085, Coral Gables, FL 33124-4250, USA. rsc@math.miami.edu
authors.forename: Robert Stephen
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Cantrell
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cosner
authors.forename: William F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Fagan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004463:Ecology; D004777:Environment; D008954:Models, Biological; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011235:Predatory Behavior