Abstract
A theoretical model is presented which describes mutual changes of herbivore (predator-parasite) density and plant (prey-host) hereditary resistance. A part of this model describing changes in plant population resistance due to animal pressure is formally based on the genetic feedback model (Pimentel 1961; Levin 1972). Further development of the model differs to avoid some assumptions which seem unjustified. The model presented here predicts well both the experimental and field data on which the genetic feedback idea was based, but it has different theoretical implications than genetic feedback. It shows that: (1) changes in plant resistance and animal density are not permanent phenomena, (2) prolonged fluctuations of animal density are not generated by plant resistance, (3) plant resistance alone does not work itself as a mechanism of population regulation, and (4) the system may be unable to adjust precisely animal consumption to surplus production of plant population.
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