Biology 334: Fall 2009

7: Foraging Theory II: Optimal Prey Choice

Announcements

Don't forget to do the assigned discussion readings and complete the assignment for each reading.

Keep working on independent projects.

Check syllabus for date of first exam.

Objectives

Learning Objectives

Students will gain an understanding of:

1) The sequence of events involved in the act of predation

2) The prey model and what the model predicts a forager will do if it encounters prey of two different sizes (i.e. should it eat both, eat only the large prey? etc.)

3) How prey size influences a foragers choice and what the optimal foraging model predicts.

4) How the following factors influence foragers:

prey handling time
prey movement and visibility
prey escape ability
prey aggregation
forager habitat selection

Reading and Assignments

TBA
Ch 3

Readings for Discussion will be assigned in class.