General mechanisms for a top-down origin of the predator-prey power lawuse asterix (*) to get italics

Onofrio Mazzarisi, Matthieu Barbier, Matteo SmerlakPlease use the format "First name initials family name" as in "Marie S. Curie, Niels H. D. Bohr, Albert Einstein, John R. R. Tolkien, Donna T. Strickland"

2024

<p style="text-align: justify;">The ratio of predator-to-prey biomass density is not constant along ecological gradients: denser ecosystems tend to have fewer predators per prey, following a scaling relation known as the ``predator-prey power law''.&nbsp;<br>The origin of this surprisingly general pattern, particularly its connection with environmental factors and predator-prey dynamics, is unknown. Here, we explore some ways that a sublinear predator-prey scaling could emerge from density-dependent interactions among predators and between predators and prey (which we call a top-down origin), rather than among prey (bottom-up origin) as proposed in Hatton~\textit{et~al.} (2015).&nbsp;<br>We combine two complementary theoretical approaches.&nbsp; First, we use phenomenological differential equations to explore the role of environmental parameters and dynamical properties in controlling the predator-prey ratio.&nbsp; Second, we simulate an agent-based model with tunable predator self-regulation to investigate the emergence of predator-prey scaling from plausible microscopic rules.&nbsp;<br>While we cannot rule out alternative explanations, our results show that density-dependent mechanisms relative to predation and intraspecific predator interactions, including prey saturation, predator interference, and predator self-regulation, offer potential explanations for the predator-prey power law.&nbsp;</p>

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predator-prey dynamics, macroecology, scaling laws, interference, density-dependence

NonePlease indicate the methods that may require specialised expertise during the peer review process (use a comma to separate various required expertises).

Allometry, Community ecology, Food webs, Macroecology, Theoretical ecology

gyorgy barabas suggested: Apologies, I am completely swamped at the moment (with late reviews and other things). But I can recommend either James O'Dwyer (jodwyer@illinois.edu), Samraat Pawar (s.pawar@imperial.ac.uk), or Matthew Michalska-Smith (mjsmith037@gmail.com) as potential reviewers., gyorgy barabas suggested: Gyuri, Samraat Pawar suggested: Van Savage - vsavage@ucla.edu No need for them to be recommenders of PCIEcology. Please do not suggest reviewers for whom there might be a conflict of interest. Reviewers are not allowed to review preprints written by close colleagues (with whom they have published in the last four years, with whom they have received joint funding in the last four years, or with whom they are currently writing a manuscript, or submitting a grant proposal), or by family members, friends, or anyone for whom bias might affect the nature of the review - see the code of conduct

2024-04-06 21:04:59

Samir Simon Suweis