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Dynamic Versus Instantaneous Models Of Diet Choice, Brian O. Ma, Peter A. Abrams, Chad Brassil

School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications

We investigate the dynamics of a series of two-prey-one predator models in which the predator exhibits adaptive diet choice based on the different energy contents and/or handling times of the two prey species. The predator is efficient at exploiting its prey and has a saturating functional response; these two features combine to produce sustained population cycles over a wide range of parameter values. Two types of models of behavioral change are compared. In one class of models (“instantaneous choice”), the probability of acceptance of the poorer prey by the predator instantaneously approximates the optimal choice, given current prey densities. In …