Consider Holling’s Type-III functional response, as shown.Which one of the marked points has the highest rate-of-change of prey-capture-rate?
Show Hint
In Holling’s Type-III functional response, the highest rate of change occurs at the steepest part of the curve, typically at low to intermediate prey densities.
Step 1: Understanding Holling’s Type-III functional response.
In Holling’s Type-III functional response, the prey capture rate initially increases slowly at low prey density, then more rapidly at intermediate densities, and eventually reaches a plateau at high densities. The rate of change of prey capture rate is highest when the curve has the steepest slope, which typically occurs at the point where the curve changes most significantly.
Step 2: Evaluating the points.
- Point P: The rate of change is highest at the beginning of the curve, where the prey capture rate increases rapidly. This corresponds to a steep slope at low density.
- Point Q: The slope is still positive but starts to level off as the prey capture rate increases more gradually.
- Point R: The curve is near the inflection point, where the increase in prey capture rate starts to slow down.
- Point S: At this point, the prey capture rate has plateaued and is no longer increasing, so the rate of change is zero.
Step 3: Conclusion.
The highest rate of change of the prey capture rate occurs at Point P, where the curve has the steepest slope. Therefore, the correct answer is (A).
