Under what conditions are predator/prey population cycles most likely?
Predator-prey cycles are based on a feeding relationship between two species: if the prey species rapidly multiplies, the number of predators increases — until the predators eventually eat so many prey that the prey population dwindles again. Soon afterwards, predator numbers likewise decrease due to starvation.
What type of graph is often used to show predator/prey relationships?
Exponential Graph
Exponential Graph 4: Predator-Prey Graph The regulation of a population by predation takes place within a predator-prey relationship.
What do predator/prey cycles show?
Predator-prey cycles The graph shows that there is almost always more prey than predators. It also shows the following patterns: The number of predators increases when there is more prey. The number of prey reduces when there are more predators.
Why do the populations of predators and prey cycle together?
Predator and prey populations cycle through time, as predators decrease numbers of prey. Lack of food resources in turn decrease predator abundance, and the lack of predation pressure allows prey populations to rebound.
What factors affect predator/prey populations?
Predator-prey numbers interact due to:
- availability of food, which increases predator numbers when high but reduces them when low;
- concealment, which means that some prey survive by hiding from predators;
- predator movement to new areas when prey numbers are low.
What are some examples of predator/prey relationships?
Some examples of predator and prey are lion and zebra, bear and fish, and fox and rabbit. The words “predator” and “prey” are almost always used to mean only animals that eat animals, but the same concept also applies to plants: Bear and berry, rabbit and lettuce, grasshopper and leaf.
How does the predator population vary when the prey numbers change?
Logic and mathematical theory suggest that when prey are numerous their predators increase in numbers, reducing the prey population, which in turn causes predator number to decline. The prey population eventually recovers, starting a new cycle.
What is the relationship between predator and prey populations?
As the prey population increases, there is more food for predators. So, after a slight lag, the predator population increases as well. As the number of predators increases, more prey are captured. As a result, the prey population starts to decrease.
What is the relationship between prey and predator?
A predator is an organism that eats another organism. The prey is the organism which the predator eats. Some examples of predator and prey are lion and zebra, bear and fish, and fox and rabbit.
What are the factors that control population?
Factors that influence populations include competition, predation, parasitism and symbiosis.
- Competition.
- Predation. Predation refers to the catching, killing and eating of prey by its predator.
- Parasitism.
- Symbiosis.
What is predator-prey?
A predator is an animal that hunts, kills and eats other animals for food. Prey is a term used to describe organisms that predators kill for food.