Metapopulation dynamics of a persisting predator-prey system in the laboratory: time series analysis Janssen, A.R.M.; van Gool, F.T.J.; Lingeman, R.; Jacas, J.A.; van de Klashorst, G.
Published in:Experimental and Applied Acarology
DOI:10.1023/A:1018479828913
Link to publicationCitation for published version (APA): Janssen, A., van Gool, F. T. J., Lingeman, R., Jacas, J. A., & van de Klashorst, G. (1997). Metapopulation dynamics of a persisting predator-prey system in the laboratory: time series analysis. Experimental and Applied Acarology, 21, 415-430. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018479828913
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ABSTRACTThe scarcity of experimental evidence for the persistence of predator-prey systems at the metapopulation level inspired us to develop a simple predator-prey experiment that could be used for testing several theoretical predictions concerning persistence and its causes. The experimental system used consisted of one or several islands with small bean plants, the phytophagous mite Tetranychus urticae and the predatory mite Phytoseiulus persimilis. In the first experiment, one large system was used consisting of 90 small bean plants, prey and predators. The system persisted for only 120 days. Second, a system was used consisting of eight islands with ten plants each where the islands were connected by bridges. Two replicate experiments showed persistence for at least 393 days. The difference between the first and the second experiments suggests that the longer persistence is caused by a limited migration between the eight islands. Despite efforts to start both replicates of the second experiment with similar initial conditions, the dynamics of both replicates varied substantially. In one replicate the prey and predator numbers showed a trend through time, whereas the numbers fluctuated around a fixed value in the other replicate. A time series analysis of the data of the prey and predators showed the presence of periodicity with a lag of 8.5 weeks in one replicate, whereas such cyclic behaviour was not found in the other replicate. The differences between the two replicates suggest that it is difficult to perform experiments where one replicate is perturbed and the other serves as an undisturbed control. We suggest using a...
