DIEP seminar by Ben Martin
Predation is among the most fundamental processes shaping ecological and evolutionary dynamics, yet the underlying mechanics of how predation unfolds remain poorly understood. What determines whether prey successfully evade or are captured? Which traits of predators and prey matter most? And how do both parties transform streams of sensory information into rapid behavioral decisions? In this talk, I will present work combining theory, laboratory experiments, and field observations to develop a general mechanistic framework for predator–prey interactions. Although animal behavior is often viewed as complex and idiosyncratic, the dynamics of pursuit and escape can be captured with surprising fidelity by simple mathematical models. Extending these models across body sizes and environments reveals clear allometric structure in pursuit dynamics, giving rise to distinct biomechanical regimes in which different traits—such as speed, maneuverability, or sensory–motor delays—govern success or failure. These findings hold great promise for advancing a general theory of predator–prey interactions, capable of predicting who eats whom, and at what rates, across a broad range of ecological systems.
If you wish to attend this seminar online, please send an email to r.lier@uva.nl to receive the zoom-link.