Do prey handling predators really matter: Subtle effects of a Crowley-Martin functional response

Abstract

Predator interference, or a decline in the per predator consumption rate as predator density increases, is generally considered a stabilizing mechanism in two-species predator-prey models. There is significant debate, as to whether prey handling predators, might interfere in the hunting process of prey searching predators, or whether these are mutually exclusive events. In the current manuscript, a three species food chain model, with strong top predator interference is considered. We prove that in terms of explosive instability/finite time blow up, sufficient interference by prey handling predators always tends to destabilize the system. The dynamics of a time delayed version, as well as the spatially explicit model are also explored. We use our results to comment on a certain paradox in ecological theory, as well as provide further insight into the nature of predator interference, and exploding populations of invasive species.