Speaker
Description
Rapid environmental change exposes species to novel conditions, often threatening their long-term survival. Although factors such as genetic variability and mutation rates are well-established drivers of adaptation, the role of predation remains comparatively underexplored. Previous studies suggest that predators can paradoxically facilitate prey adaptation and thereby promoting prey persistence through two mechanisms: the selective removal of less-fit individuals (“selective push”) and the alleviation of density-dependent constraints, which can lead to unexpected increases in prey populations (“hydra effect”). My preliminary simulations, conducted using the NEMO platform as part of my PhD research, support these ideas by indicating that predation enhances prey persistence under changing environmental conditions. Building on these findings, I will adopt a multi-patch framework that incorporates varying degrees of habitat complexity and connectivity, offering insights into how dispersal and environmental heterogeneity shape predator–prey dynamics in a rapidly changing climate.
