Data from: The body size dependence of mutual interference

The parameters that drive population dynamics typically show a relationship with body size. In contrast, there is no theoretical or empirical support for a body-size dependence of mutual interference, which links foraging rates to consumer density. Here I develop a model to predict that interference may be positively or negatively related to body size depending on how resource body size scales with consumer body size. Over a wide range of body sizes, however, the model predicts that interference will be body size independent. This prediction was supported by a new data set on interference and consumer body size. The stabilizing effect of intermediate interference therefore appears to be roughly constant across size, while the effect of body size on population dynamics is mediated through other parameters.驱动种群动态的参数通常与体型大小存在关联。与之相反，目前尚无理论或实证依据表明，将觅食速率与消费者密度关联起来的相互干扰作用存在体型依赖性。本文构建了一个模型，可预测相互干扰作用与体型大小的相关性可能为正或负，具体取决于资源体型随消费者体型的比例缩放关系。然而，在宽泛的体型范围内，该模型预测相互干扰作用与体型大小无关。这一预测得到了一项关于相互干扰作用与消费者体型的全新数据集的验证。因此，中等程度相互干扰所带来的稳定效应在不同体型间大致保持恒定，而体型大小对种群动态的影响则通过其他参数介导。