The stability of internal equilibria in predator-prey models with breeding suppression.

Abstract

We present two models that represent the suppression of breeding by prey in response to short-term increases in predation pressure. For both of these models, we have been able to produce analytic conditions for the local stability of the interior steady state, in terms of the values of combinations of these parameters. Although our models are as simple as possible to capture the effect of breeding suppression, the expressions for local stability, even in their simplest form, are complex. Thus, we come to the important conclusion that there is no simple and general rule for the effect of the behaviours described here (anti-predatory breeding suppression and prey switching by predators) on the stability of population dynamics. Rather, effects will be system specific. However, we hope that the results and methodological framework outlined here will provide a useful tool for others to investigate the consequences for particular real systems.