Generalist predators and the importance of spatial density dependence.

CONCLUSION: The model examples in this paper illustrate that non-random spatial distributions of predation or parasitism by polyphagous natural enemies will not necessarily promote population persistence. The test of whether such responses are stabilizing requires the spatial distribution of predation to be examined over a range of total prey densities. As shown in Fig. 2, a contribution to stability will occur if average predation from each spatial response tends to be positively related to total prey density.