MODELS OF A PREDATOR-PREY RELATIONSHIP IN A CLOSED HABITAT

The ecological study of the wolf and moose populations of Isle Royale National Park (USA) is the longest running large mammal predator/prey study in the world. A discrete event simulation of the park’s wolf and moose populations is used together with the study’s data to evaluate four candidate ordinary differential models of predator/prey systems. Using a least squares technique, the parameters of the four ordinary differential equation systems are determined for the park’s and the simulation data, then the models are compared using both objective and subjective criteria.