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Phase-locking and environmental fluctuations generate synchrony in a predator-prey community
David A Vasseur1, Jeremy W Fox
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA. david.vasseur@yale.edu
Nature
|July 24, 2009
Summary
Spatial synchrony in species populations is influenced by dispersal, environmental factors (Moran effect), and predator-prey interactions. Predator-driven cycles are key for dispersal to synchronize populations, enhancing ecological stability.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Population Dynamics
- Theoretical Biology
Background:
- Spatial synchrony is common in natural systems, but the interplay of factors causing it is complex.
- Understanding synchrony drivers is crucial for predicting population stability and ecological dynamics.
- Previous research often studied synchronizing factors in isolation, limiting understanding of their interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a general stochastic model of predator-prey spatial dynamics.
- To test the interactions of dispersal, the Moran effect, and interspecific interactions on spatial synchrony.
- To predict the outcome of these interactions in a laboratory microcosm experiment.
Main Methods:
- Developed a general stochastic model for predator-prey spatial dynamics.
- Conducted a laboratory microcosm experiment using ciliate protists (Tetrahymena pyriformis) and their predator (Euplotes patella).
- Quantified the effects of dispersal, Moran effect, and predator presence on population synchrony.
Main Results:
- The Moran effect alone synchronized prey populations.
- Dispersal synchronized prey populations only when the predator was present, indicating a dependence on predator-induced cyclic dynamics.
- Dispersal 'phase-locks' predator-prey cycles, preventing decoherence and maintaining synchrony; this effect is negligible without cycles.
- Interspecific interactions enhance synchrony by altering population dynamics, not by adding a separate source of fluctuation.
Conclusions:
- Predator-driven cyclic dynamics are essential for dispersal to effectively synchronize populations.
- Interspecific interactions play a critical role in modulating the impact of dispersal on spatial synchrony.
- The findings offer a robust framework for understanding spatial synchrony in diverse ecological systems, including predator-prey and host-pathogen dynamics.
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