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Abstract:
Many
cyclopoid copepods change their feeding habits during development. Young
stages
are herbivorous, whereas adults
are
carnivores
or
omnivores.
A
demographic model based
on
physiological
parameters
is
developed
to
study
the
effect
of
cannibalism
on the
population
dynamics
of
cyclopoids
and
their prey.
If
alternative prey
are
available
and
their potential
growth
rate
is
higher than
the
potential growth
rate
of
the
cyclopoids,
the
survival
of
predator
and
prey populations without cannibalism
is
guaranteed only
if
the
prey population
is
above
a
critical
density. Cannibalism allows
the
survival below this critical density independent
of
the
actual
age
distribution
and
even prevents extinction
at
densities much below
the
critical point.
Therefore, cannibalism
is
considered
to be a
stabilizing factor
in
predator-prey interactions
during
and
after
periods
of
food limitation.
