=============================== ontogeneticLinksPreference =============================== Overview ======== The file ``ontogeneticLinksPreference.csv`` defines the **preference relationships** between species (both animals and resources) within the ecosystem model. Each entry specifies **how strongly a given species prefers to interact with another**, typically in the context of feeding, resource consumption, or other ecological interactions. These preference values are used throughout the simulation to determine: - Predator–prey preference intensity. - Consumer–resource affinity. - Symbiotic, competitive, or facilitative interactions between animal species. - Ontogenetic changes in feeding preferences across life stages (if applicable in the model). File Format =========== The file is a **comma‐separated values (CSV)** table. - **Rows (first column):** represent the *prey* or *resource species*. - **Columns (first row):** represent the *predators* or *consumers*. - **Cells:** contain numerical values indicating the **preference strength** of the predator (column) for the prey/resource (row). A higher value indicates a stronger preference. Values may be zero when no ecological interaction exists. Example Structure ================= Although the actual file content depends on the ecosystem configuration, the structure is always: :: , PredatorA, PredatorB, PredatorC Prey1, 0.8, 0.1, 0.0 Prey2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.2 Prey3, 0.0, 0.7, 0.4 Interpretation Example ====================== In the snippet above: - ``PredatorA`` has a high preference (0.8) for ``Prey1``. - ``PredatorB`` prefers ``Prey3`` the most (0.7). - ``PredatorC`` ignores ``Prey1`` (0.0).