Dynamic Aspects of Foraging Decisions: Short-Term Caching Strategies

动物所做的决定受到许多因素的影响。 为 例如，可以显示鸟在不同食物中的选择 受鸟类饥饿程度的影响， 食物种类的顺序，以前遇到不同的 食物项目，以及鸟类储存的脂肪量。 到目前为止，事实证明，无论是理论上还是 实验上，研究这些因素的综合影响， 有意义的方式。 结果，只有一小部分富人 研究了动物表现出的反应多样性。 目前的试点项目旨在测试技术， 可以让我们对动物的决策过程有一个更全面的了解。 具体来说，卢卡斯博士计划测试几个预测， 实验室条件下卡罗莱纳山雀的缓存行为 条件 山雀将食物单独储存在数百个 在几天内找到这些食物 从动态规划模型得出的预测将 通过持续监测体重、缓存大小和 一整天都在缓存决策。 监测工作将 使用计算机驱动的电子天平和远程 潜在缓存点的传感器 这项工作很重要，因为它提供了一种方法， 在广泛的背景下理解行为。 决定应该 反映与以下方面有关的成本和效益的平衡： 可供动物选择的行为。 的成本和 福利反过来又受到当前条件的影响， 这些条件的预期变化。 这与 人类的行为和非人类动物的行为一样。 缓存行为特别具有启发性，因为通过缓存 食物，动物提供未来的营养需求 (when食物被取回）， 需求（可以通过食用发现的食物来满足） 立即）。 因此，缓存决策应反映当前 条件和预期的变化，这些条件时，食品 终于找回了

Decisions made by animals are affected by numerous factors. For example, a bird's choice among different food items can be shown to be affected by how hungry the bird is, the relative abundance of food types, the sequence of previous encounters with different food items, and the amount of fat reserves the bird has stored. Until now, it has proved difficult, both theoretically and experimentally, to study the combined effects of these factors in a meaningful way. As a result, only a small fraction of the rich diversity of responses that animals exhibit have been studied. The current pilot project is designed to test techniques that will allow a more synoptic view of animal decision-making. Specifically, Dr. Lucas plans to test several predictions of caching behavior by Carolina chickadees under laboratory conditions. Chickadees store food items singly in hundreds of different sites and retrieve this food within a period of days. The predictions, derived from a dynamic-programming model, will be tested by continuously monitoring body mass, cache size and caching decisions throughout the day. Monitoring will be accomplished using computer-driven electronic balances and remote sensors in potential cache sites. This work is important because it provides a methodology for understanding behavior in a broad context. Decisions should reflect a balance of costs and benefits associated with alternative behaviors available to the animal. The costs and benefits, in turn, are affected by current conditions and expected changes in these conditions. This is as relevant to human behavior as it is to the behavior of non-human animals. Caching behavior is particularly revealing because, by caching food, the animal is providing for future nutritional requirements (when the food is retrieved) to the detriment of current requirements (which could be satisfied by eating discovered food immediately). Thus, caching decisions should reflect current conditions and expected changes in those conditions when the food is finally retrieved.