Predation

The largest mammalian predators were likely generalists rather than strict specialists on the largest herbivores. The predation model uses fixed predator density rather than explicit predator dynamics, limiting its ability to capture short-term ecological complexity. Reducing predation intensity raises the herbivore threshold to approximately the size of the largest extinct terrestrial herbivores. Under the contemporary predator-prey mass relationship and high predation intensity, the model produces a transcritical bifurcation at a herbivore mass of 2.58 x 10^6 g. Predation creates a feasibility threshold for large-bodied herbivores.