Stability and connectivity of real foodwebs predicted by mass
constraints on maximum consumption and density dependence
Abstract
Understanding which foodwebs thrive or collapse is a major challenge
that has been mostly studied in terms of topology and interaction
strength. Yet the relative importance of these properties is hotly
debated due to limited research on how they interact and which forces
generate them. Here, we construct a foodweb model that incorporates
mass-based constraints on density dependence, maximum consumption rate,
and the likelihood and strength of interactions, which in turn control
overall topologies and interaction strength distributions. Our model
predicts both stability and connectivity that closely match real
foodwebs ranging widely in size (29-163 species) and connectivity
(113-1086 interactions). Despite their absence in most research, density
dependence and maximum consumption rate are not only required to
accurately predict stability but have stronger impacts than the
more-frequently-studied interaction strength. Our results demonstrate
that predicting foodweb stability requires simultaneously considering
multiple foodweb properties—all of which naturally emerge from species
masses.