Predator-prey relationships form the foundation of ecosystems, driving population cycles and maintaining ecological balance. However, diseases can disrupt these dynamics, causing population crashes and cascading effects throughout ecosystems. For example, diseases like avian influenza can devastate bird populations, affecting the predators that depend on them. This project explores how non-lethal diseases influence predator-prey interactions using simulation-based experiments.
Fox Agents (Predators): Foxes wander, hunt, and reproduce. Their energy depletes over time and is replenished by consuming rabbits. If energy reaches zero, the fox dies.
Rabbit Agents (Prey): Rabbits wander, reproduce, and exhibit flocking behavior. They are only killed when hunted by foxes.
Baseline simulations established predator-prey dynamics without disease, ensuring stable population cycles.
Disease simulations showed that diseases disrupting reproduction or movement significantly alter population dynamics.
Results varied based on whether diseases were species-specific or affected both populations, with effects ranging from rapid population declines to oscillatory population changes.