Abstract
Predator-prey interactions are among the most fundamental in nature. In this chapter we look at some existing models of the interaction between predators and prey, where prey and/or predators have important strategic choices to make. Firstly we consider situations where both predator and prey are aware of each other, and the predator is approaching the prey. When should the prey flee? Then we consider a moving predator which is unaware of a hidden prey individual. Should the prey stay where it is, or should it flee, and if so when? Finally we consider a new model of a stationary predator searching for a hidden prey (which may not be present), where both prey and predator have important decisions to make. Should the prey flee, and if so when? How long should the predator search before giving up, and moving elsewhere?
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Alpern,S. Fokkink,R. Timmer,M. and Casas,J. (2011) Ambush frequency should increase over time during optimal predator search for prey. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 8 1665–1672.
Broom,M. & Ruxton,G.D. (2005) You can run - or you can hide: optimal strategies for cryptic prey against pursuit predators. Behavioral Ecology 16 534–540.
Cooper Jr, W.E., Frederick, W.G. (2007) Optimal flight initiation distance. Journal of Theoretical Biology 244: 59–67.
Caro,T.M. (1986) The functions of stotting in Thomson’s gazelles: Some tests of the predictions. Animal Behaviour 34 663–684.
Desouhant,E., Lucchetta,P. Giron,D. and Bernstein,C. (2010) Feeding activity pattern in a parasitic wasp when foraging in the field. Ecological Research 25 419–428.
Ewer,R.F. (1968) Ethology of Mammals. Elek Science, London.
Kenward,R.E. (1978) Hawks and doves: factors affecting success and selection in goshawk attacks on woodpigeons. Journal of Animal Ecology 47 449–460.
Martin, J., Luqu-Larena, J.J., Lopez, P. (2009) When to run from an ambush predator: balancing crpysis benefits with costs of fleeing in lizards. Animal Behaviour 78 1011–1018.
Myers,J.P. (1983) Commentary. In “Perspectives in Ornithology” (A.H.Brush and G.A.Clark Jr, eds) pp 216–221. Cambridge University Press.
Pitchford,J.W., James,A. and Brindley,J. (2005) Quantifying the effects of individual and environmental variability in fish recruitment. Fisheries Oceanography 14 156–160.
Preston,M.D., Pitchford,J.W. and Wood,A.J. (2010) Evolutionary optimality in stochastic search problems. Journal of the Royal Society Interface 7 1301–1310.
Rowe-Rowe,D.T. (1974) Flight behaviour and flight distance of blesbok. Zeitschrift fur Tierpsychologie 34 208–211.
Walther,R.F. (1969) Flight behaviour and avoidance of predators in Thomson’s gazelle (Gazella thomsoni Guenther 1884). Behaviour 34 184–221.
Ydenberg, R.C., Dill, L.M. (1986) The Economics of Fleeing from Predators. Advances in the Study of Behaviour 16 229–249.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Broom, M. (2013). Interactions Between Searching Predators and Hidden Prey. In: Alpern, S., Fokkink, R., Gąsieniec, L., Lindelauf, R., Subrahmanian, V. (eds) Search Theory. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6825-7_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6825-7_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6824-0
Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6825-7
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)