Mass enhances speed but diminishes turn capacity in terrestrial pursuit predators
Abstract
The dynamics of predator-prey pursuit appears complex, making the development of a framework explaining predator and prey strategies problematic. We develop a model for terrestrial, cursorial predators to examine how animal mass modulates predator and prey trajectories and affects best strategies for both parties. We incorporated the maximum speed-mass relationship with an explanation of why larger animals should have greater turn radii; the forces needed to turn scale linearly with mass whereas the maximum forces an animal can exert scale to a 2/3 power law. This clarifies why in a meta-analysis, we found a preponderance of predator/prey mass ratios that minimized the turn radii of predators compared to their prey. It also explained why acceleration data from wild cheetahs pursuing different prey showed different cornering behaviour with prey type. The outcome of predator prey pursuits thus depends critically on mass effects and the ability of animals to time turns precisely.
Article and author information
Author details
Reviewing Editor
- Iain D Couzin, Princeton University, United States
Ethics
Animal experimentation: Permission and ethical clearance were granted by SANParks ethical and research committees to conduct the field research, Project Number 2006-05-10 MGMI. The study was performed in accordance with the commendations in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals of the National Institutes of Health. All immobilizationand collaring of wild animals was conducted by a registered individual (GM), under the direction of a SANParks veterinarian.
Version history
- Received: January 14, 2015
- Accepted: August 2, 2015
- Accepted Manuscript published: August 7, 2015 (version 1)
- Version of Record published: August 21, 2015 (version 2)
Copyright
© 2015, Wilson et al.
This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.
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