Predator/Prey Relationships

Predator/Prey Predator Prey Predator - Any animal that catches, kills and eats any other animal. Prey – any animal that is caught, killed or eaten by any other animal.

Predation An interaction between species in which one animal (the predator) captures and feeds on another animal (the prey). birds of prey can play an important role in regulating the population size of mice, voles and other small mammals.  

Predation is an example of a density dependent limiting factor: Density dependent limiting factors depend on population density Predators can affect the size of prey populations in a community and determine the places prey can live and feed.

Predation effects on Population

Predation Effects on Population As the population of the prey increases then the predator population will increase. As the predators increase, the number of prey decreases.

Predation effects on Population Why is there a time delay between the increase in prey and the increase in predators? What would affect the number of hares besides the predators? Why would the number of lynx be controlled by the number of hares? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68k M