Mice in Wonderforest: Understanding mast seeding through individual-based modelling

Mast seeding is the synchronous production of large amounts of seeds at long intervals in plant populations. It is observed in several genera and its explanation remains controversial. To test one of the most popular hypotheses, predator satiation, we developed a virtual experiment based on an individual-based model reproducing the interaction between trees and seed predators in a simulated forest. This allowed a direct comparison between masting and no-masting cases, as would have been impossible in reality. The large differences observed between the two scenarios strongly supported the hypothesis. At the same time, a second mechanism similar to the classic paradox of enrichment seemed to play a crucial role, working in synergy with predator satiation to keep in check seed predator populations. More generally, we showed that the resource distribution over time can deeply affect population dynamics, even when the overall amount of the resource is kept constant.