module 3.1

Question 1

what is optimal foraging?

Answer 1

-the theory
-examples and extensions
-theory meets reality
-scalling up to habitat selection

Question 2

what is the theory?

Answer 2

-an individual will act to gain the most energy for the least amount of cost when making foraging decisions, with the overall goal of maximizing its evolutionary fitness

Question 3

what are examples and extensions of the theory?

Answer 3

Question 4

what is habitat selection?

Answer 4

-hierarchical process of behavioral responses that may result in the disproportionate use of habitats to influence survival and reproduction (fitness) of individuals

Question 5

what does selection refer to?

Answer 5

selection refers to the use of a habitat or habitat feature more than expected by chance
-eg. if a vegetation association like pine forest occurs over 30% of a study area, but 80% of your caribou locations are pine forest, pine forest is ‘selected’
-also eg, if deciduous forest occurs over 60% of your study area, but caribou locations occur there only 10% of the time, deciduous forest is ‘avoided’

Question 6

how does habitat selection reflect fitness returns?

Answer 6

-it is expected that natural selection will act in such a way that selected patterns are the fittest, ie. present the greatest benefit to reproduction and survival
-if this is not true, habitat selection may be maladaptive (ecological traps, important for conservation)

Question 7

where does the theory meet reality?

Answer 7

-examine predictions: foragers should prefer prey that yield the most profitable and as the abundance of higher-value prey increases, consumption of lower-value prey should decrease, and the lowest-value prey should be dropped
-doesnt happen alot in nature

Question 8

what is the math of the model?

Answer 8

P=E/S+H or P=E/C
-P= energetic profitability of the prey consumed which is equal to the ratio of energy gained from eating that prey item (E) to the energy costs associated with acquiring and eating the prey (C)