Evol Ecol Res 19: 469-476 (2018)     Full PDF if your library subscribes.

A spatial game between a predator and social prey in multiple patches*

William A. Mitchell

Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana, USA

* Taken from a larger manuscript to provide a theoretical model for Vijayan et al. (EER 19: 455–468).
Correspondence: W.A. Mitchell, Department of Biology, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, USA.
email: william.mitchell@indstate.edu

ABSTRACT

I build a theoretical model of an optimal predator and prey interaction. The predator allocates its hunting time among different landscape patches containing prey. Simultaneously, at a much smaller spatial scale, the prey allocate their time between different habitats within each patch. I obtain the Nash equilibrium strategy of each species. When applied to the experimental set-up of little egrets and goldfish in the system of Vijayan et al. (2018, EER 19: 455–468), the model makes four specific predictions available for testing.

Keywords: predator–prey behavioural games at two spatial scales, predation risk, foraging opportunity,
optimal foraging of both species, predicted influences of food abundance.

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