PCE - 8

Question 1

what are the 3 steps for working out how long an individual should spend in a patch?

Answer 1

- Objective: Maximise profitability
–Energy/Time
• Currency: profitability
–Energy/Time
• Constraint: Travel time and Residence time

Question 2

describe the marginal value theorem?

Answer 2

an optimality model that usually describes the behaviour of an optimally foraging individual in a system where resources (often food) are located in discrete patches separated by areas with no resources

Question 3

what are the basic principles of the marginal value theorem?

Answer 3

the higher the energy resource of a patch the longer time spent travelling to a patch the more time spent feeding there - patches with lower energy gains you may spend less time travelling too and less time there

Question 4

what does the tangent on the marginal value theorem so?

Answer 4

maximises the ratio between resource

intake and time spent foraging and travelling

Question 5

If the Carrying Capacity of patches increases, organisms should spend what?

Answer 5

Less time in each patch

Question 6

If we put roads between patches, the marginal value theorem predicts what?

Answer 6

Patch residence time should increase