Editing Predation (section)

===Diet and behaviour===
{{further|Generalist and specialist species}}

{{multiple image|align=right|image1=Peerj-297-fig-5 Platydemus manokwari.png|width1=200|caption1=''[[Platydemus manokwari]]'', a specialist [[flatworm]] predator of [[land snail]]s, attacking a snail|image2=Lioness vs Cape Buffalo (cropped).jpg|width2=212|caption2=Size-selective predation: a [[lion]]ess attacking a [[Cape buffalo]], over twice her weight. Lions can attack much larger prey, including elephants, but do so much less often.}}

Predators are often highly specialized in their diet and hunting behaviour; for example, the [[Eurasian lynx]] only hunts small [[ungulate]]s.<ref name="Sidorovich2011">{{cite book |last=Sidorovich |first=Vadim |title=Analysis of vertebrate predator-prey community: Studies within the European Forest zone in terrains with transitional mixed forest in Belarus |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cHxwAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA426 |year=2011 |publisher=Tesey |isbn=978-985-463-456-2 |page=426}}</ref> Others such as [[leopard]]s are more opportunistic generalists, preying on at least 100 species.<ref name="Angelici2015">{{cite book |last=Angelici |first=Francesco M. |title=Problematic Wildlife: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S1c-CwAAQBAJ&pg=PA160 |year=2015 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-319-22246-2 |page=160}}</ref><ref name=Hayward2006>{{cite journal |last1=Hayward |first1=M. W. |last2=Henschel |first2=P. |last3=O'Brien |first3=J. |last4=Hofmeyr |first4=M. |last5=Balme |first5=G. |last6=Kerley |first6=G.I.H. |title=Prey preferences of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') |journal=Journal of Zoology |date=2006 |volume=270 |issue=2 |pages=298–313 |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00139.x }}</ref> The specialists may be highly adapted to capturing their preferred prey, whereas generalists may be better able to switch to other prey when a preferred target is scarce. When prey have a clumped (uneven) distribution, the optimal strategy for the predator is predicted to be more specialized as the prey are more conspicuous and can be found more quickly;<ref name=Pulliam1974>{{cite journal |last1=Pulliam |first1=H. Ronald |title=On the Theory of Optimal Diets |journal=The American Naturalist |volume=108 |issue=959 |year=1974 |pages=59–74 |doi=10.1086/282885|bibcode=1974ANat..108...59P |s2cid=8420787 }}</ref> this appears to be correct for predators of immobile prey, but is doubtful with mobile prey.<ref name="SihChristensen2001">{{cite journal |last1=Sih |first1=Andrew |last2=Christensen |first2=Bent |title=Optimal diet theory: when does it work, and when and why does it fail? |journal=Animal Behaviour|volume=61 |issue=2 |year=2001 |doi=10.1006/anbe.2000.1592 |pages=379–390| s2cid=44045919 }}</ref>

{{anchor|Size-selective predation}}
In size-selective predation, predators select prey of a certain size.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Sprules |first=W. Gary |title=Effects of Size-Selective Predation and Food Competition on High Altitude Zooplankton Communities |journal=Ecology |volume=53 |issue=3 |year=1972 |doi=10.2307/1934223 |jstor=1934223 |pages=375–386|bibcode=1972Ecol...53..375S }}</ref> Large prey may prove troublesome for a predator, while small prey might prove hard to find and in any case provide less of a reward. This has led to a correlation between the size of predators and their prey. Size may also act as a [[refuge (ecology)|refuge]] for large prey. For example, adult elephants are relatively safe from predation by lions, but juveniles are vulnerable.<ref name="Owen-SmithMills2008">{{cite journal |last1=Owen-Smith |first1=Norman |last2=Mills |first2=M. G. L. |title=Predator-prey size relationships in an African large-mammal food web |journal=Journal of Animal Ecology |volume=77 |issue=1 |year=2008 |doi=10.1111/j.1365-2656.2007.01314.x |pmid=18177336 |pages=173–183|bibcode=2008JAnEc..77..173O | hdl=2263/9023 |doi-access=free |hdl-access=free }}</ref>