IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
|
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
|
| Polis, G.A.; Myers, C.A.; Holt, R.D. | |
| The ecology and evolution of intraguild predation: potential competitors that eat each other | |
| 1989 Animal Review of Ecology and Systematics (20): 297-330 | |
Interactions between species are usually categorized as either competition, predation/parasitism, mutualism, commensalism, or amensalism. Intraguild predation (IGP) is a combination of the first two that is, the killing and eating of species that use similar, often limiting, resources and are thus potential competitors. Intraguild predation is distinguished from traditional concepts of competition by the immediate energetic gains for one participant (the predator). It differs from classical predation because the act reduces potential exploitation competition. Thus, its impact on population dynamics is more complex than either competition or predation alone. Our purpose is to document the ubiquity and importance of intraguild predation and to establish a theoretical framework for its analysis. A taxonomically widespread interaction, IGP significantly affects the distribution, abundance, and evolution of many species. One intriguing conclusion is that IGP promotes the occurrence of alternative stable states in many circumstances. Although sometimes recognized by theoreticians and empirically oriented biologists, this is the first synthesis of IGP into a general work. "Intraguild" predation occurs among members of the same "guild". Root defined a guild as " a group of species that exploit the same class of environmental resources in a similar way." We use the term more broadly to include all taxa in a community that use similar resources (food or space) and thus may compete, regardless of differences in tactics of resource acquisition. Synonyms for IGP include predation or predatory interference and predatory aggression.. |
|
 |
PDF files are only accessible to Friends of the Cat Group. Joining Friends of the Cat Group gives you unlimited access and downloads in the Cat SG Library for one year, and allows you to receive our newsletter Cat News (2 regular issues per year plus special issues). More information how to join here |
(c) IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group ( IUCN - The World Conservation Union) |