ABSTRACT
Predators may also be divided into plant tissue-eating herbivores and animal tissue-eating carnivores, or omnivores which consume both. Predators vary in their diet breadth, with some species being extremely selective specialists, concentrating exclusively on one prey type, whilst others are more generalist, being able to feed on a number of prey species. A variety of models have been developed to explore predator–prey dynamics. Predators which may consume a number of prey species may partially specialize on the commonest prey type available at any one time and concentrate their attacks on this more common prey. As prey density increases, a predator’s consumption rate will increase until it is consuming at its maximum possible rate. If evolution has optimized predator behavior to maximize the rate of energy gain, it is possible to predict how predators should behave. The distribution of the fish accurately reflected the variation in the food density.
