Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Foraging Behavior pp 273–302Cite as

Stochastic Models of Optimal Foraging

  • Chapter

Abstract

For many years, one of the central concerns of natural history was the food habits of animals; that is, what food animals eat, and how they go about obtaining it. The question was, How do animals forage? More recently, optimal foraging theory has posed the question, How should animals forage? This question may be asked in many forms, and the answers have cast light on the old subject of animals’ food habits. Optimal foraging theory has helped make the study of foraging more interesting, which may account for the theory’s remarkable popular success noted by Krebs, Stephens and Sutherland (1983).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Abrams, P.A. 1982. Functional responses of optimal foragers. American Naturalist, 120: 382–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Breck, J.E. 1978. Suboptimal Foraging Strategies for a Patchy Environment. Dissertation, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caraco, T. 1981. Energy budgets, risk and foraging preferences in dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 8: 213–217.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Caraco, T., Martindale, S., and Whittam, T.S. 1980. An empirical demonstration of risk-sensitive foraging preferences. Animal Behaviour, 28: 820–830.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charnov, E.L. 1976a. Optimal foraging: the marginal value theorem. Theoretical Population Biology, 9: 129–136.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Charnov, E.L. 1976b. Optimal foraging: attack strategy of a mantid. American Naturalist, 110: 141–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Comins, H.N., and Hassell, M.P. 1979. The dynamics of optimally foraging predators and parasitoids. Journal of Animal Ecology, 48: 335–351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cowie, R.J., and Krebs, J.R. 1979. Optimal foraging in patchy environments. In: The British Ecological Society Symposium, Volume 20, Population Dynamics (ed. by R.M. Anderson, B.D. Turner, & L.R. Taylor ), pp. 183–205. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford, UK.

    Google Scholar 

  • DeGroot, M.H. 1970. Optimal Statistical Decisions. McGraw-Hill, New York, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibb, J.A. 1958. Predation by tits and squirrels on the eucosmid Ernarmonia conicolana (Heyl.). Journal of Animal Ecology, 27: 375–396.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibb, J.A. 1962. L. Tinbergen’s hypothesis of specific search images. Ibis, 104: 106–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green, R.F. 1980. Bayesian birds: a simple example of Oatenfs stochastic model of optimal foraging. Theoretical Population Biology, 18: 244–256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Green, R.F. 1984. Stopping rules for optimal foragers. American Naturalist, 123: 30–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hasseil, M.P., and May, R.M. 1974. Aggregation of predators and insect parasites and its effects on stability. Journal of Animal Ecology, 43: 567–594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iwasa, Y., Higashi, M., and Yamamura, N. 1981. Prey distribution as a factor determining the choice of optimal foraging strategy. American Naturalist, 117: 710–723.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Janetos, A.C., and Cole, B.J. 1981. Imperfectly optimal animals. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 9: 203–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krebs, J.R. 1973. Behavioral aspects of predation. In: Perspectives in Ethology (ed. by P.P.G. Bateson & P.H. Klopfer), Chapter 3. Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krebs, J.R. and McCleery, R.H. 1984. Optimization in behavioral ecology. In: Behavioural Ecology on Evolutionary Approach Second Edition (ed. by J.R. Krebs & N.B. Davies ), pp. 91–121. Blackwell, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krebs, J.R., Ryan, J.C., and Charnov, E.L. 1974. Hunting by expectation or optimal foraging? A study of patch use by chickadees. Animal Behaviour, 22: 953–964.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krebs, J.R., Stephens, D.W., and Sutherland, W.J. 1983. Perspectives in optimal foraging. In: Perspectives in Ornithology (ed. by A.H. Brush & G.A. Clark, Jr.) pp. 165–216. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Lima, S.L. 1984. Downy woodpecker foraging behavior: efficient sampling in simple stochastic environments. Ecology, 65: 166–174.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacArthur, R.H. 1972. Geographical Ecology. Harper and Row, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • McNair, J.N. 1982. Optimal giving-up times and the marginal value theorem. American Naturalist, 119: 511–529.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNamara, J. 1982. Optimal patch use in a stochastic environment. Theoretical Population Biology, 21: 269–288.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McNamara, J.M., and Houston, A.I. 1986. Foraging in patches: there’s more to life than the marginal value theorem. In: Quantitative Analysis of Behavior, Vol VI: Foraging (ed. by M.L. Commins, A. Kacelnik & S.J. Shettleworth ), Erlbaum, Hillsdale, N.J. In press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murdoch, W.W., and Oaten, A. 1975. Predation and population stability. Advances in Ecological Research, 9: 2–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oaten, A. 1977. Optimal foraging in patches: a case for stochasticity. Theoretical Population Biology, 12: 263–285.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pielou, E.C. 1977. Mathematical Ecology. Wiley-Interscience, New York, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyke, G.H. 1978. Optimal foraging in hummingbirds: testing the marginal value theorem. American Zoologist, 18: 739–752.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyke, G.H. 1984. Optimal foraging theory: a critical review. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 15: 523–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pyke, G.H., Pulliam, H.R., and Charnov, E.L. 1977. Optimal foraging: a selective review of theory and tests. Quarterly Review of Biology, 52: 137–154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schoener, T.W. 1971. Theory of feeding strategies. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 2: 369–404.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Southwood, T.R.E. 1966. Ecological Methods. Chapman and Hall, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephens, D.W., and Charnov, E.L. 1982. Optimal foraging: some simple stochastic models. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 10: 251–263.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, L.R. 1984. Assessing and interpreting the spatial distribution of insect populations. Annual Review of Entomology, 29: 321–357.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waage, J.K. 1979. Foraging for patchily-distributed hosts by the parasitoid, Nemeritis canescens. Journal of Animal Ecology, 48: 353–371.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minnesota, 55812, USA

    Richard F. Green

Authors
  1. Richard F. Green
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    Alan C. Kamil

  2. Oxford University, Oxford, England

    John R. Krebs

  3. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA

    H. Ronald Pulliam

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1987 Plenum Press, New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Green, R.F. (1987). Stochastic Models of Optimal Foraging. In: Kamil, A.C., Krebs, J.R., Pulliam, H.R. (eds) Foraging Behavior. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1839-2_8

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-1839-2_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-9027-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-1839-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation