Practice question · Select all that apply
Select every statement that is TRUE under optimal foraging theory.
Hints
- Two options ignore handling time or the environment's average.
- A big item with long handling time can be less profitable, and emptying a patch is sub-optimal.
Show the answer
- B. The MVT leave-point depends on the environment's overall average rate.
- C. Foragers are predicted to maximize net energy per unit time, not total food eaten.
- E. A big prey item can be worth less than a small one if it takes long enough to subdue.
Why
The profitability formula, maximizing net energy per time, and the environment-set leave-point are all true. The largest item is not always most profitable (handling time matters), and fully depleting a patch is sub-optimal - so those two are false.
Practise Foraging and Optimal Foraging Theory
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