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Optimal and adaptive foraging in heterogeneous and crowded resource landscapes
Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2022
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| _version_ | 1867614058604134400 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Gibbs, Richard Peter Gordon |
| author2 | Hui, Cang |
| author_browse | Gibbs, Richard Peter Gordon Hui, Cang |
| author_facet | Hui, Cang Gibbs, Richard Peter Gordon |
| author_sort | Gibbs, Richard Peter Gordon |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/125021 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:58.010Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/125021 Optimal and adaptive foraging in heterogeneous and crowded resource landscapes Gibbs, Richard Peter Gordon Hui, Cang Landi, Pietro Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Science. Dept. of Mathematical Sciences. Foraging behavior in animals Optimal Foraging Theory Animal behavior -- Mathematical models Heterogeneous landscapes Foraging -- Environmental aspects UCTD Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2022. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Foraging for resources is a fundamental animal activity. Successful and efficient forag- ing behaviour will ultimately lead to significant selective advantages either directly, or indirectly by providing animals with the time and resources needed to fulfil other life demands. Therefore, individuals must attempt to optimise their foraging efficiency, sub- ject to numerous - pertinent - environmental pressures and/or physiological constraints. This thesis aims to investigate how a number of environmental structures and physiolog- ical features may affect forager perceptions and strategies. Firstly, Chapter 1 introduces some notable concepts, observations and techniques arising from the study of foraging behaviour and interactions. Chapter 2 then investigates the effect of spatial heterogeneity in resource distributions on the relative effectiveness of foraging strategies which utilise differing levels of cognition. These are, namely; a Random Forager, a Proximity favourer, an Adjusted Optimal Diet Model, an (adaptive) Adjusted Recent-Experience Driven for- ager and a truly Optimal (but ecologically infeasible) forager. This is done in order to determine how the environment may influence the development and maintenance of ad- vanced cognitive capabilities. It is shown that heterogeneity in the resource landscape often leads to disproportionate increases in the performance of behaviour that utilises more advanced cognition or adaptive behaviour in diet choice. Conversely, when the landscape structure is random, the benefits of advanced cognition are mitigated. Finally, the aforementioned effects are shown to be highly dependent on the sensory and memory capabilities of the forager. These observations ultimately call into question the efficacy of utilising advanced (and therefore expensive) cognitive capabilities in homogeneous envi- ronments or when sensory capabilities are limited. Chapter 3 goes on to investigate the effect of forager density and social games involving trust and honesty in information shar- ing on the performance of coexisting foragers. Flexibility in one’s diet choice is shown to notably ameliorate the negative effects of exploitation competition in densely populated landscapes. The effectiveness of utilising socially available information on resource qual- ity is shown to have noteworthy density-dependent behaviour, with high forager densities decreasing said efficacy. Lastly, the effects of social engagement in densely populated, highly competitive situations are shown to result in significantly higher variation of in- dividual performance. Highly connected individuals in an information sharing network had the potential to increase performance, but were equally as likely to suffer ill- or no- effects. Suggestions for the cause of this disparity are proffered; however, the exact cause is currently undetermined. Finally, Chapter 4 summarises some of the more noteworthy observations arising from Chapters 2 and 3, and suggests how they may be further utilised and/or developed. Throughout this thesis, adaptive foraging strategies are shown to be able to effectively utilise heterogeneity in resource landscapes to increase intake, as well as describe complex social games between foragers attempting to ameliorate the effects of exploitation competition within a reasonably crowded landscape. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen opsomming beskikbaar. Masters 2022-01-26T12:25:23Z 2022-04-29T12:50:42Z 2022-07-27T03:00:13Z 2022-04 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/125021 en_ZA Stellenbosch University x, 98 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Foraging behavior in animals Optimal Foraging Theory Animal behavior -- Mathematical models Heterogeneous landscapes Foraging -- Environmental aspects UCTD Gibbs, Richard Peter Gordon Optimal and adaptive foraging in heterogeneous and crowded resource landscapes |
| title | Optimal and adaptive foraging in heterogeneous and crowded resource landscapes |
| title_full | Optimal and adaptive foraging in heterogeneous and crowded resource landscapes |
| title_fullStr | Optimal and adaptive foraging in heterogeneous and crowded resource landscapes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimal and adaptive foraging in heterogeneous and crowded resource landscapes |
| title_short | Optimal and adaptive foraging in heterogeneous and crowded resource landscapes |
| title_sort | optimal and adaptive foraging in heterogeneous and crowded resource landscapes |
| topic | Foraging behavior in animals Optimal Foraging Theory Animal behavior -- Mathematical models Heterogeneous landscapes Foraging -- Environmental aspects UCTD |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/125021 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gibbsrichardpetergordon optimalandadaptiveforaginginheterogeneousandcrowdedresourcelandscapes |