Foraging Behaviour

Question 1

Types of foraging

Answer 1

• filter feeding
• detritivory and scavenging
• herbivory
  > many forms due to different resources available from plants
• predation

Question 2

Two techniques for high variation in S + H energy investment

Answer 2

• searchers
• pursuers
  > long distance
  > short distance

Question 3

Techniques for low variation in S + H energy investments

Answer 3

• ambush
• traps
• deceivers

Question 4

How is food quality measured?

Answer 4

energy invested in S + H must be less than energy yielded from food

• if S too high = search for something else or use diff method
• if H too high = give up quickly

Question 5

Define Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT)

Answer 5

Assumes correlation between foraging and fitness

• good at foraging = better fitness
• good fitness = good at foraging

Question 6

Define Marginal Value Theorem

Answer 6

• max. Rate of return from patchy resources
• when should animal move on?
  > when yield for present patch drops believe mean for all other patches
  > pick best patch AND keep sampling other patches
• G longer if:
  > travel cost to next patch high, relative to cost of staying
  > mean value of all other patches decline
  > value of other patches unknown