Patterns of predation in a diverse predator-prey system

Sinclair, Mduma and Brashares tested why some Serengeti ungulate species are regulated by predation while others are limited by food, using long-term data across the migratory and resident herbivore community. They found a body-size threshold: smaller ungulates are controlled top-down by predators such as lions, leopards, cheetahs and hyenas, whereas the largest species like buffalo and elephant are regulated bottom-up by food, with intermediate species influenced by both. The study showed that predator and prey body size jointly determine the relative strength of top-down and bottom-up forces in a complex system. It is a landmark synthesis explaining how felids and other carnivores differentially shape the dynamics of co-occurring ungulate species.