The body size dependence of mutual interference

The parameters that drive population dynamics typically show a relationship with body size. By 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 dataset 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个体体型存在关联。与之形成对比的是，目前尚无理论或实证依据表明相互干扰（mutual interference）存在体型依赖性——该现象将觅食速率与消费者种群密度关联起来。在此，本文构建了一个模型，预测相互干扰与体型的关系可能为正相关或负相关，具体取决于资源个体体型随消费者体型的缩放关系。然而，在广泛的体型范围内，该模型预测相互干扰将不受体型影响。这一预测得到了一份关于相互干扰与消费者体型的全新数据集的验证。因此，中等强度相互干扰的稳定效应在不同体型间大致保持恒定，而体型对种群动态的影响则通过其他参数介导。