Food web architecture and population dynamics in laboratory microcosms of protists

Article Abstract:

The population dynamics of species within the food web structure is affected by food chain length and omnivory, the two important elements of the food web structure. Though it is difficult to measure the dynamics of the complex natural systems that describe the food web structure, the study of the laboratory microcosms containing organisms with short generation, such as bacteria and protists, reveals the food web architecture and the population dynamics of complex systems. The results of the study predict that population fluctuations and extinctions will increase with increasing food chain length.

Influence, Bacteria, Food chains (Ecology), Food chains, Protista, Protists

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The mass exponent in population energy use: the fallacy of averages reconsidered

Article Abstract:

Research of errors pertaining to species-specific body mass, metabolic rates, food habits and population density estimation of 114 eutherian mammal species helps reveal that for eutherian mammals the product of 2 allometric equations is inaccurate in calculating mass components. The use of constant slope in determining correlations between population energy use and body mass introduces an error of 21% in mass exponent estimation. The % of error ranges from 7% in herbivore species and 80% for frugivores.

Evaluation, Animal experimentation, Mammals

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Attraction toward feeding conspecifics when food patches are exhaustible

Article Abstract:

A study of simulation model shows that patch sharing does not enhance individuals' average food uptake. The foragers have limited knowledge of the behavior of other individuals and the effect of aggregation is general and does not require direct interaction between individuals. The Thompson and coworkers hypothesis includes prey preference and social learning in their model. Attraction to feeding individuals decreases the variance in reward and is preferred by risk averse foragers.

Animal feeding and feeds, Forage plants, Forage

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