Abstract

1. Unequal competitor ideal free distribution (IFD) models that deal with the effects of interference allow for the relaxation of several unrealistic assumptions of the basic IFD model. We used the recently developed interaction-matrix method to examine the general case where the effect of interference can vary between patches, one previously unexplored in the literature. 2. An analytical approach revealed that mixed solutions are not possible for the case of differential interference between patches. However, simulations from an individual-based model suggest that, when numbers of individuals similar to those commonly used in empirical tests of the IFD are considered, mixed solutions are in fact predicted. 3. This discrepancy can only be detected by the use of individual-based models, and may help to explain the lack of certain previously predicted distributions in empirical tests of the theory. We suggest that future work should employ individual-based models to better link empirical tests with analytic theory.