COS 97-6 - CANCELLED - The ecology of virtual worlds: Studying predator-prey interactions using online videogame data

Background/Question/Methods

Predator-prey interactions are major drivers of community dynamics. It is now well documented that individual behavioural differences influence resource and habitat use, with consequences for fitness. However, empirical studies on predator-prey interactions have traditionally ignored this individual behavioural variation, which hinders our ability to accurately predict the consequences of predation in trophic systems. This is in part due to the many challenges of repeatedly measuring individual behaviour through space and time in nature. To circumvent these challenges, we used behavioural data from an online multiplayer videogame simulating a predator-prey interaction as our study system. We empirically examined the structure of predator foraging mode at three levels of biological organization (among environments, among individuals, and within individuals). We also investigated the influence of prey activity on predator foraging behaviour, and how predator-prey behavioural interactions affected predator hunting success.

Results/Conclusions

Our study supports key findings on predator-prey interactions from behavioural ecology. We found that prey activity was important in defining whether predators specialized as cursorial or ambush hunters. Contrary to our predictions, predators displayed similar hunting behaviours among the game environments such that habitat structure did not influence their tactic. Cursorial and ambush hunters were more successful against slower-moving prey, and achieved similar prey captures over the study period. Our results corroborate patterns observed in natural systems, and provide support that virtual worlds can be used to identify how ecological mechanisms drive individual behavioural decisions in a predator-prey context.