A Breath of Fresh Air in Foraging Theory: The Importance of Wind for Food Size Selection in a Central-Place Forager

2017 ◽  
Vol 190 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Marina Alma ◽  
Alejandro G. Farji-Brener ◽  
Luciana Elizalde
Keyword(s):  
Central Place ◽  
Foraging Theory ◽  
Size Selection ◽  
Food Size ◽  
Central Place Forager

Tree Swallow selection for wetlands in agricultural landscapes predicted by central-place foraging theory

The Condor ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew S Elgin ◽  
Robert G Clark ◽  
Christy A Morrissey
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Selection ◽  
Central Place ◽  
Foraging Theory ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Tree Swallow ◽  
Field Margins ◽  
Central Place Foraging ◽  
Prairie Pothole ◽  
Prairie Wetlands ◽  
Selection For

Abstract Millions of wetland basins, embedded in croplands and grasslands, are biodiversity hotspots in North America’s Prairie Pothole Region, but prairie wetlands continue to be degraded and drained, primarily for agricultural activities. Aerial insectivorous swallows are known to forage over water, but it is unclear whether swallows exhibit greater selection for wetlands relative to other habitats in croplands and grasslands. Central-place foraging theory suggests that habitat selectivity should increase with traveling distance from a central place, such that foragers compensate for traveling costs by selecting more profitable foraging habitat. Using global positioning system (GPS) tags, we evaluated habitat selection by female Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) at 4 sites containing wetlands and where terrestrial land cover was dominated by grasslands (grass, herbaceous cover) and/or cultivated cropland. We also used sweep-net transects to assess the abundance and biomass of flying insects in different habitats available to swallows (wetland pond margins, grassy field margins, and representative uplands). As expected for a central-place forager, GPS-tagged swallows selected more for wetland ponds (disproportionate to availability), and appeared to increasingly select for wetlands with increasing distance from their nests. On cropland-dominated sites, insect abundance and biomass tended to be higher in pond margins or grassy field margins compared to cropped uplands, while abundance and biomass were more uniform among sampled habitats at sites dominated by grass and herbaceous cover. Swallow habitat selection was not clearly explained by the distribution of sampled insects among habitats; however, traditional terrestrial sampling methods may not adequately reflect prey distribution and availability to aerially foraging swallows. Overall, our results underscore the importance of protecting and enhancing prairie wetlands and other non-crop habitats in agricultural landscapes, given their disproportionate use and capacity to support breeding swallow and insect populations.

An extensive study of the foraging ecology of beavers (Castor canadensis) in relation to habitat quality

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (6) ◽  
pp. 922-933 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Gallant ◽  
C H Bérubé ◽  
E Tremblay ◽  
L Vasseur
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Quality ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Foraging Ecology ◽  
Castor Canadensis ◽  
Central Place ◽  
Foraging Theory ◽  
Extensive Study ◽  
Food Items ◽  
Partial View ◽  
Selection Of

The objective of this study was to examine the foraging behaviour of the beaver (Castor canadensis Kuhl, 1820) and to explain its selection of terrestrial woody plant species according to central place foraging theory. Limitations in variety of food items in most studies with regard to size and (or) distance from the central place and information on availability of forage choices give a partial view of the subject. In this study, the theory is tested in a natural environment with high variability in food items with regard to these factors. Foraging choices by beavers were inspected by measuring variables on cut and uncut trees of every species encountered within 1 m of trail systems made by 25 beaver colonies in Kouchibouguac National Park in New Brunswick, Canada, thereby quantifying the availability of the different food items. The effect of habitat quality (food availability) on the foraging behaviour of beavers was also tested. The results of this study suggest that with increasing distance from the pond, beavers in high-quality habitats selected fewer, but larger, trees and are more species selective. This selectivity was diminished in habitats of lower quality. The results of this study are consistent with the predictions of the central foraging theory.

scholarly journals Trade-offs between energy maximization and parental care in a central place forager, the sea otter

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 1552-1566 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.M. Thometz ◽  
M.M. Staedler ◽  
J.A. Tomoleoni ◽  
J.L. Bodkin ◽  
G.B. Bentall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Central Place ◽  
Sea Otter ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Energy Maximization ◽  
Central Place Forager

scholarly journals Multiple-stage decisions in a marine central-place forager

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. 160043 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ari S. Friedlaender ◽  
David W. Johnston ◽  
Reny B. Tyson ◽  
Amanda Kaltenberg ◽  
Jeremy A. Goldbogen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Central Place ◽  
Foraging Efficiency ◽  
Feeding Rates ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Air Breathing ◽  
Baleen Whales ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Central Place Forager ◽  
Prey Patches

Air-breathing marine animals face a complex set of physical challenges associated with diving that affect the decisions of how to optimize feeding. Baleen whales (Mysticeti) have evolved bulk-filter feeding mechanisms to efficiently feed on dense prey patches. Baleen whales are central place foragers where oxygen at the surface represents the central place and depth acts as the distance to prey. Although hypothesized that baleen whales will target the densest prey patches anywhere in the water column, how depth and density interact to influence foraging behaviour is poorly understood. We used multi-sensor archival tags and active acoustics to quantify Antarctic humpback whale foraging behaviour relative to prey. Our analyses reveal multi-stage foraging decisions driven by both krill depth and density. During daylight hours when whales did not feed, krill were found in deep high-density patches. As krill migrated vertically into larger and less dense patches near the surface, whales began to forage. During foraging bouts, we found that feeding rates (number of feeding lunges per hour) were greatest when prey was shallowest, and feeding rates decreased with increasing dive depth. This strategy is consistent with previous models of how air-breathing diving animals optimize foraging efficiency. Thus, humpback whales forage mainly when prey is more broadly distributed and shallower, presumably to minimize diving and searching costs and to increase feeding rates overall and thus foraging efficiency. Using direct measurements of feeding behaviour from animal-borne tags and prey availability from echosounders, our study demonstrates a multi-stage foraging process in a central place forager that we suggest acts to optimize overall efficiency by maximizing net energy gain over time. These data reveal a previously unrecognized level of complexity in predator–prey interactions and underscores the need to simultaneously measure prey distribution in marine central place forager studies.

scholarly journals Optimal central-place foraging by beavers: Tree-size selection in relation to defensive chemicals of quaking aspen

Oecologia ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 278-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Basey ◽  
Stephen H. Jenkins ◽  
Peter E. Busher
Keyword(s):  
Central Place ◽  
Tree Size ◽  
Quaking Aspen ◽  
Central Place Foraging ◽  
Size Selection

scholarly journals Patterns of energy acquisition by a central place forager: benefits of alternating short and long foraging trips

2004 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 824-830 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Ropert-Coudert ◽  
Rory P. Wilson ◽  
Francis Daunt ◽  
Akiko Kato
Keyword(s):  
Central Place ◽  
Energy Acquisition ◽  
Central Place Forager
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