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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.01.15.633229

Aggressive interference as a strategy for enhancing resource gain

Rakocinski, C. F.
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Abstract

Adaptive aggressive behavior should serve as a leverage mechanism for boosting resource gain above what would be obtained under the premise of equal access. The functional response for a consumer within a group of consumers should decline proportionately with the number of non-aggressive consumers vying for the same resources. The expression of aggressive interference should correspond with the potential for resource gain as determined by tradeoffs involving leverage, resource availability and consumer density. Models proposed in this paper expand on these assertions to make specific falsifiable predictions pertaining to the expression of aggressive interference with respect to the tradeoffs. Models predict the resource concentration at which aggressive interference should peak, as well as the functional response value and corresponding threshold resource concentration above which aggressive interference should cease. A mechanistic interpretation of the maximum proportion of time dedicated to aggressive interference can be expressed in terms of leverage and consumer density. Normalized equations for an aggressive agent along with any number of other consumers additively compose joint consumption under sustained restricted resource availability. Product log solutions of Rogers Random Predator Equation heuristically predict joint consumption by an aggressive agent along with any number of other consumers under resource depletion.

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Rakocinski, C. F.. 2025-01-19. Aggressive interference as a strategy for enhancing resource gain. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.01.15.633229

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