Predator-prey Relationships

When a predator kills its prey, the prey population because smaller

--> as the birth and death rates are at balance the prey population doesn't change much

In some communities this dynamic equilibrium is not shown and instead cyclic oscillations are observed

• Increase in prey numbers increases food availability (increase in predator numbers)

• Increase in predator numbers decreases prey numbers

• A fall in prey numbers decreases food availability for predators (decrease in predator numbers)

• A fall in predator numbers decreases predation of prey (prey numbers increase)