Barrier-mediated predator-prey dynamics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a predator-prey model considering environmental barriers that influence escape and capture dynamics, providing insights into how barriers and fluctuations affect predator-prey interactions across biological and artificial systems.

Contribution

It develops a simple barrier-mediated predator-prey model with scaling laws, classifies different states, and analyzes the effects of fluctuations and hydrodynamics on predator-prey outcomes.

Findings

Derived scaling laws for predator-prey states

Classified barrier-assisted catching and escaping states

Analyzed effects of fluctuations and hydrodynamics

Abstract

The survival chance of a prey chased by a predator depends not only on their relative speeds but importantly also on the local environment they have to face. For example, a wolf chasing a deer might take a long time to cross a river which can quickly be crossed by the deer. Here, we propose a simple predator-prey model for a situation in which both the escaping prey and the chasing predator have to surmount an energetic barrier. Different barrier-assisted states of catching or final escaping are classified and suitable scaling laws separating these two states are derived. We discuss the effect of fluctuations on the catching times and determine states in which catching or escaping is more likely. We further identify trapping or escaping states which are determined by hydrodynamics and chemotactic interactions. Our results are of importance for both microbes and self-propelled unanimate microparticles following each other by non-reciprocal interactions in inhomogeneous landscapes.