Population Consequences of Foraging Behavior

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This is a theoretical study of animal foraging behavior that would examine the effect of patchy distribution of prey on foraging. An almost optimal foraging strategy will be used to determine the rate of locating prey as it changes under different prey densities. The changes in prey distribution when patches are exploited by an optimal forager, the rate of finding prey by revisiting patches, will also be determined. The optimal and almost-optimal strategies will be found and the rates of finding prey that they would achieve for a particular version of Oaten's general stochastic model of optimal foraging will be calculated. The form of the functional response determines whether a certain version of the Lotka-Volterra predator-prey model is stable. The effect of patch exploitation is important in determining the value of maintaining feeding territories and of partitioning resources.