Prey/Predator Model

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Consider the situations between rabbits and foxes. Foxes feed on rabbits and are dependent on rabbits for their survival, though if foxes didn't feed on rabbits they would over-populate and starve. Thus, while the fox is not healthy for the rabbit, the fox is healthy for the fox/rabbit community as a whole.

While the Prey/Predator structure is a member of Boulding's Hierarchy of Systems it was actually first proposed by Alfred Lotka and Vito Volterra independently in the 1920's.

Causal Loop Diagram

Fig. 1 - Prey/Preditor Model [preypred.msys]

Which is essentially a Limits to Growth structure evolving from the interaction of two Growth and Underinvestment structures.

Fig. 1 - Emergent Limits to Growth Structure [preypred.msys]

References

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