Hello there! I kept myself busy for my master thesis with ecological population models including predation. I wonder how to model a prey switching process as simple as possible? For now, I saw some models that "forces" the predator with a static attack rate and conversion efficiency per prey species to go for one prey as the modeller intends it. In nature, I would expect the predator to switch the prey species if the conversion efficiency is better for a another prey item. Maybe this switching process is also density dependend. What do you think? I am happy about new input, opinions or publications adressing this question( I am primarly looking for compurional models and how these question has been solved there).
I did this for a model of seed dispersal. Trees were attractive if they were close to birds and had lots of fruit. You could do the same in your model, and have equations that regulate attractiveness of prey due to distance, density or type?
Did you find the optimal(/realistic?) ratio between attractiveness vs. distance by equation solving mathematically or did you just did it haphazardly by yourself? Andrew Paul McKenzie Pegman
Some prey species show group defense against it's predators. In that case, the prey population will have a negative effect on predators. The more prey population will form more groups and it will become less prone to predation. As a result, predators have to switch to another prey species. I hope that inclusion of this phenomenon will produce a good dynamics in your model.
Ashish Poonia this was not the question. I wonder how I can implement into a model the naturally occured predator - prey switching process. If I, as the modeller, set a static attack rate, I force the predator to prefer one over the other prey. In the context of conversion efficiency, I would force the predator to go for one prey that might deliver less energy than another prey item.
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