The Detection and Choice of Prey

捕食者和被捕食者之间的相互作用是所有生态系统的重要组成部分。近年来，捕食者-食饵系统的动力学受到觅食动物行为的强烈影响，这一点已经变得越来越明显。捕食者和猎物的行为涉及许多感官和决策过程。卡米尔博士将在一种高度熟练的杂食性捕食者和觅食者--蓝鸟身上对这些过程进行实验研究。实验将确定猎物在空间和/或时间分布上的变化对鸟类捕食地点和持续时间的影响；时间限制对鸟类食物广度的影响；松鸦收集和利用关于变化的、动态的猎物种群的信息的能力；以及猎物外观的变化对鸟类发现猎物的能力的影响。这些实验的结果将在三个相关方面发挥重要作用。(1)由于动物的许多决策能力是在觅食行为的背景下进化出来的，这些实验将有助于揭示这些能力的性质及其生物学意义。(2)卡米尔博士的实验还将提供有关捕食者-猎物相互作用动力学的基本信息，这将有助于我们对生态系统的理解。(3)更好地了解生态系统中捕食者-猎物的相互作用对于估计自然系统变化的影响应该是有价值的。

The interactions between predators and prey are an important part of all ecological systems. In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that the dynamics of predator-prey systems are strongly influenced by the behaviors of foraging animals. Many sensory and decision-making processes are involved in the behavior of both predators and prey. Dr. Kamil will experimentally investigate these processes in an omnivorous, highly skilled predator and forager, the blue jay. Experiments will determine the effects of variation in the spatial and/or temporal distribution of prey on where the birds hunt, and for how long; the effects of temporal constraints on the breadth of the birds' diet; the ability of the jays to collect and utilize information about changing, dynamic prey populations; and the effects of variation in the appearance of prey on the birds' ability to detect the prey. The results of these experiments will be important in three related ways. (1) Because many of the decision-making abilities of animals evolved in the context of foraging behavior, these experiments will help to reveal the nature of these abilities and their biological significance. (2) Dr. Kamil's experiments also will provide basic information about the dynamics of predator- prey interactions, which will contribute to our understanding of ecological systems. (3) A better understanding of predator-prey interactions in ecological systems should prove valuable in estimating the effects of alterations in natural systems.