Safety in numbers: Sophisticated vigilance by Allenby's gerbil

Michael L. Rosenzweig, Zvika Abramsky, Aziz Subach

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

Since 1963, nonlinear predation theory has predicted that, at low population densities, victim species may well be mutualistic rather than competitive. Theory identifies this mutualism as a principal source of dynamic instability in the interaction. Using gerbils and trained barn owls, we conducted the first (to our knowledge) field tests of the theory's prediction of mutualism. The behavior of the gerbils confirms its existence.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)5713-5715
Number of pages3
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume94
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - May 27 1997

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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