Foraging
Cost/benefit analysis
to generate
predictions regarding
behavior
Optimal foraging theory (OFT)
What should an animal eat?
Where should an animal eat?
Cost/benefit analysis
to generate
predictions regarding
behavior
Optimal foraging theory (OFT)
Foragers cannot handle >1 prey at once
Prey are recognized instantly
Prey are encountered sequentially
Foragers maximize rate of energy intake
Optimal foraging theory (OFT)
E/T for prey type 1 =
Ts λ1 e1
Ts + Ts λ1 h1
Maximize energy per unit time (E/T)
T = total time
Ts = search time
λ = encounter rate
h = handling time
Total prey
type 1 captured
Total search time Handling time given search
Optimal foraging theory (OFT)
E/T for prey type 1 =
λ1 e1
1 + λ1 h1
Maximize energy per unit time (E/T)
T = total time
Ts = search time
λ = encounter rate
h = handling time
A bird in the hand…
Imagine two prey types, 1 and 2
e2/h2 < e1/h1
What should an animal do
if it encounters prey 1? Eat it!
What should an animal do
if it encounters prey 2? It depends…
A bird in the hand…
What should an animal do
if it encounters prey 2? It depends…
Predictions
1. If true, eat only prey 1 (specialize)
2. If not true, take both prey 1+2 (generalize)
λ1e1
1 + λ1h1
>
λ1e1 + λ2e2
1 + λ1h1 + λ2h2
Predictions
3. Decision to specialize is based on
encounter rate of prey 1
4. Threshold level
λ1 >
e2
e1h2 – e2h1
A bird in the hand…
Sir John Krebs
Empirical evidence for prey models
great tit
Empirical evidence for prey models
Bluegill predator
Daphnia prey (left)
Prey size class (I = largest)
Prey actually consumed
Prey predicted based on availability
Low
prey
density
High
prey
density
High
prey
density
Meadow vole
Short-tailed
shrew
House mouse
White-footed
mouse
Others
Meadow vole
Short-tailed
shrew
House mouse
White-footed
mouse
Others
Prey eaten Prey available
Prey consumed according to
profitability, not simply encounter rate
Prey models
Prey easy to find,
hard to catch:
should specialize
Prey hard to find,
easy to catch:
should generalize
Prey models
Some general predictions:
Foragers cannot handle >1 prey at once
Prey are recognized instantly
Prey are encountered sequentially
Foragers maximize rate of energy intake
Prey models
How to minimize search time?
Search image = cognitive representation of prey type
Search images
Aid in avoidance
of noxious prey
Increasing prey profitability
How to maximize e/h? Decrease h!
22 appendages
25,000 Eimer’s organs
100,000 neurons
(6x that of human hand)
star-nosed mole
How to reduce handling time
How to reduce handling time
cortical magnification: area of
somatosensory cortex per sensory organ
Less than ¼ of a second
to identify and handle prey
Moles like fast food
Ken Catania
Moles like fast food
What should a mole do
if it encounters prey 2? Eat it!
λ1e1
1 + λ1h1
>
λ1e1 + λ2e2
1 + λ1h1 + λ2h2
Predictions
1. If true, eat only prey 1 (specialize)
2. If not true, take both prey 1+2 (generalize)
Handling times
for small prey
are negligible
The optimal mole
Where to forage?
Prey found in patches
Patches distributed in habitat
Patch time
Energy
gain
Patch models
How long should an
animal stay in a patch?
Depends on the distance
between patches
Patch time
Energy
gain
Travel time to
next patch
long short
optimal patch times
Patch models: marginal value theorem
Empirical evidence: marginal value theorem
Mantid predator
House fly prey
Empirical evidence: marginal value theorem
great tit
Central place foragers
violate patch laws
Exceptions to OFT
Collect loads
before returning
to central place
chipmunk
parasitoid wasp
Sub-optimal foraging
in Atta ants?
Constraints limit optimal foraging
Exceptions to OFT

Bio 281 2011 lecture 10 - Foraging - lecture notes large.pdf

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Cost/benefit analysis to generate predictionsregarding behavior Optimal foraging theory (OFT) What should an animal eat? Where should an animal eat?
  • 3.
    Cost/benefit analysis to generate predictionsregarding behavior Optimal foraging theory (OFT) Foragers cannot handle >1 prey at once Prey are recognized instantly Prey are encountered sequentially Foragers maximize rate of energy intake
  • 4.
    Optimal foraging theory(OFT) E/T for prey type 1 = Ts λ1 e1 Ts + Ts λ1 h1 Maximize energy per unit time (E/T) T = total time Ts = search time λ = encounter rate h = handling time Total prey type 1 captured Total search time Handling time given search
  • 5.
    Optimal foraging theory(OFT) E/T for prey type 1 = λ1 e1 1 + λ1 h1 Maximize energy per unit time (E/T) T = total time Ts = search time λ = encounter rate h = handling time
  • 6.
    A bird inthe hand… Imagine two prey types, 1 and 2 e2/h2 < e1/h1 What should an animal do if it encounters prey 1? Eat it! What should an animal do if it encounters prey 2? It depends…
  • 7.
    A bird inthe hand… What should an animal do if it encounters prey 2? It depends… Predictions 1. If true, eat only prey 1 (specialize) 2. If not true, take both prey 1+2 (generalize) λ1e1 1 + λ1h1 > λ1e1 + λ2e2 1 + λ1h1 + λ2h2
  • 8.
    Predictions 3. Decision tospecialize is based on encounter rate of prey 1 4. Threshold level λ1 > e2 e1h2 – e2h1 A bird in the hand…
  • 9.
    Sir John Krebs Empiricalevidence for prey models great tit
  • 10.
    Empirical evidence forprey models Bluegill predator Daphnia prey (left) Prey size class (I = largest) Prey actually consumed Prey predicted based on availability Low prey density High prey density High prey density
  • 11.
    Meadow vole Short-tailed shrew House mouse White-footed mouse Others Meadowvole Short-tailed shrew House mouse White-footed mouse Others Prey eaten Prey available Prey consumed according to profitability, not simply encounter rate Prey models
  • 12.
    Prey easy tofind, hard to catch: should specialize Prey hard to find, easy to catch: should generalize Prey models Some general predictions:
  • 13.
    Foragers cannot handle>1 prey at once Prey are recognized instantly Prey are encountered sequentially Foragers maximize rate of energy intake Prey models How to minimize search time?
  • 14.
    Search image =cognitive representation of prey type Search images Aid in avoidance of noxious prey
  • 15.
    Increasing prey profitability Howto maximize e/h? Decrease h! 22 appendages 25,000 Eimer’s organs 100,000 neurons (6x that of human hand) star-nosed mole
  • 16.
    How to reducehandling time
  • 17.
    How to reducehandling time cortical magnification: area of somatosensory cortex per sensory organ
  • 18.
    Less than ¼of a second to identify and handle prey Moles like fast food
  • 19.
  • 20.
    What should amole do if it encounters prey 2? Eat it! λ1e1 1 + λ1h1 > λ1e1 + λ2e2 1 + λ1h1 + λ2h2 Predictions 1. If true, eat only prey 1 (specialize) 2. If not true, take both prey 1+2 (generalize) Handling times for small prey are negligible The optimal mole
  • 21.
    Where to forage? Preyfound in patches Patches distributed in habitat
  • 22.
    Patch time Energy gain Patch models Howlong should an animal stay in a patch? Depends on the distance between patches
  • 23.
    Patch time Energy gain Travel timeto next patch long short optimal patch times Patch models: marginal value theorem
  • 24.
    Empirical evidence: marginalvalue theorem Mantid predator House fly prey
  • 25.
    Empirical evidence: marginalvalue theorem great tit
  • 26.
    Central place foragers violatepatch laws Exceptions to OFT Collect loads before returning to central place chipmunk
  • 27.
    parasitoid wasp Sub-optimal foraging inAtta ants? Constraints limit optimal foraging Exceptions to OFT