Dissertations / Theses: 'Foraging behaviors'

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Jordan, Evan J. "Online travel information search behaviors an information foraging perspective /." Connect to this title online, 2008. http://etd.lib.clemson.edu/documents/1220474357/.

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Nachappa, Punya. "Ecological consequences of genetic variation in foraging behaviors of a predatory mite." Diss., Manhattan, Kan. : Kansas State University, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/912.

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Liu, Yanfei. "Cohesive behaviors of cooperative multiagent systems with information flow constraints." Connect to this title online, 2004. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1091565417.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2004.
Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 155 p.; also includes graphics (some col.) Includes bibliographical references (p. 150-155). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

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McCann, Melissa Catherine. "Manipulating Cattle and Deer Foraging Behaviors for the Consumption of Leafy Spurge and Canada Thistle." Thesis, North Dakota State University, 2015. https://hdl.handle.net/10365/27824.

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This study tested targeted grazing weeds with cattle and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Using forage manipulation techniques, we attempted to encourage cattle and white-tailed deer to graze weeds. Cattle were encouraged to target graze leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula L.). We established that cattle will attempt to consume leafy spurge from feed bunks but not from pasture. Two projects were developed to test targeted grazing of Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) by white-tailed deer. The first project was a behavior study using a rationed pelleted feed with Canada thistle. The second an attractant study involved testing two types of molasses (Molasses and Raffinate) sprayed onto Canada thistle. We found white-tailed deer will consume all diets of pelleted feed and will graze Canada thistle sprayed with either type of molasses. Molasses could be a viable attractant to target graze weeds. More research is needed to determine if these studies are sustainable.
Camp Grafton and the North Dakota Army National Guard

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Johnson, Kelly Deshon. "Fat-Pad Specific Effects of Lipectomy on Appetitive and Consummatory Ingestive Behaviors in Siberian Hamsters (Phodopus sungorus)." Digital Archive @ GSU, 2006. http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/biology_hontheses/1.

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The aim of this experiment was to test whether LIPX-induced decreases in body fat affect appetitive (foraging effort and food hoarding) or consummatory (food intake) ingestive behaviors and whether the effects of LIPX on these behaviors is in turn affected by changes in energy expenditure produced by varying the amount of work required to obtain food. This was accomplished by housing male Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) in a foraging/hoarding apparatus where food pellets (75 mg) could be earned by completing various wheel running requirements. Requiring a foraging effort (10 revolutions/pellet) abolished the normal compensation of WAT mass by the non-excised WAT pads that typically follows IWATx or EWATx. After foraging, food hoarding was increased more than food intake when hamsters were required to forage for food (10 revolutions/pellet). The magnitude of the LIPX-induced lipid deficit (IWATx > EWATx) did not correspond to a proportional change in either appetitive or consummatory ingestive behaviors.

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Browne, Amanda M. "The Effects of Sub-Lethal Levels of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid Herbicide on Foraging Behaviors in the Crayfish, Orconectes Rusticus." Bowling Green State University / OhioLINK, 2014. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=bgsu1400849615.

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Jönsson, Johan. "The effect of rope and an activation ball on the performance of harmful social behaviors in pigs." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Biologi, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-79001.

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A widespread problem in the housing of captive animals is the occurrence and development of abnormal behaviors. In the pig breeding industry the abnormal behaviors causing the biggest welfare problems are stereotypies such as tail-biting, ear-biting, equipment-biting and belly-nosing. In this study a rope and an activation ball were tested as curative treatments to reduce the performance of these stereotypies by inducing the underlying innate behaviors. A total of 141 pigs spread over 18 pens were used as test-subjects. They were divided into three groups which were introduced to one of the two enrichments or no enrichment at all. Both the enrichments contained characteristics which mostly targeted exploratory and foraging needs and, if functional, were thought to mainly have an effect on tail-biting, ear-biting and equipment-biting. The pigs were observed both at initial contact with the enrichments and after having familiarized with them for three days, and the amount of registered enrichment interaction and performed stereotypies were used to evaluate the effect of the enrichment objects. In both enrichment treatments the enrichments occupied the pigs both on day one and after three days. The presence of equipment-biting was successfully reduced on both day one and day three while the presence of tail-biting and ear-biting only were initially reduced. No effect was found on belly-nosing in either enrichment treatment. This suggests that both enrichments are functional over time and efficient in reducing some types of harmful social behaviors. However, belly-nosing would need to be targeted with a different kind of object.

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Storz, Shonna R. "Distribution, spread, activity patterns, and foraging behaviors of the introduced ant Pheidole obscurithorax in the southeastern United States." [Tallahassee, FL : Florida State University], 2003. http://etd.lib.fsu.edu/theses/available/etd-09182003-183317/.

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Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2003.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Feb. 19, 2006). Advisor: Dr. Walter R. Tschinkel, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Biological Science. Includes bibliographical references (p. 53-58).

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Johnson, Joseph S. "Foraging and Roosting Behaviors of Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii) at the Northern Edge of the Species Range." UKnowledge, 2012. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/animalsci_etds/5.

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Bat populations in the eastern United States are currently declining at unprecedented rates as a result of habitat loss, commercial wind energy development, and white-nose syndrome. Effective conservation of these declining populations requires knowledge of several aspects of summer and winter ecology, including daytime habitat use (day-roost selection and social behaviors), nocturnal habitat use (foraging habitat selection, prey selection, and prey abundance), and winter hibernation (torpor) patterns. This dissertation addresses these questions for Rafinesque’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus rafinesquii), a species of conservation concern in the southeastern United States. Kentucky represents the northern edge of the range of Rafinesque’s big-eared bat, and summer and winter behaviors in Kentucky are likely to differ from what has been observed in southern portion of the range, where available habitats and climate are different. My research occurred in two study areas in Kentucky, Mammoth Cave National Park in central Kentucky, and the Ballard Wildlife Management areas in western Kentucky. This dissertation includes all of the work done in western Kentucky, where I radio-tagged 48 adult big-eared bats and documented daytime and nighttime habitat use. Also included is a portion of the work done in central Kentucky, focusing on hibernation patterns of 14 adult big-eared bats radio-tagged during the winter at Mammoth Cave. Data disseminated in this dissertation provide insights into the summer and winter ecology of Rafinesque’s big-eared bat in Kentucky, and can be used to manage populations threatened by habitat loss and white-nose syndrome.

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Meiners, Joan M. "Biodiversity, Community Dynamics, and Novel Foraging Behaviors of a Rich Native Bee Fauna Across Habitats at Pinnacles National Park, California." DigitalCommons@USU, 2016. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/4877.

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Wild, native bees (Hymenoptera: Apoidea) provide pollination services valued at nearly $3 billion to U.S. agriculture annually, and are the primary pollinators maintaining plant communities in natural landscapes, an ecosystem service of incalculable worth. Global concern over widespread honeybee declines has spurred research to save that single species, while knowledge of the health and habitat requirements of 20,000 native bee species worldwide lags behind. Understanding dynamics and habitat associations of pristine native bee communities may help inform conservation priorities and restoration goals to ensure the widespread longevity of native bees. We surveyed the bee and plant communities over two flowering seasons and across four distinct habitat types (Alluvial, Live Oak Woodland, Blue Oak Woodland, and Grassland) at Pinnacles National Park, a protected biodiversity hotspot, and a pristine, heterogeneous environment. We collected 52,853 bee specimens over 308 collector days, and increased the species inventory to 479, from the previous 398 recorded as of the late 1990s. This statistic ranks Pinnacles as likely the most densely diverse area for native bees currently known. Spatially, no relationship between habitat type and bee abundance or richness was observed. Bee species composition in Alluvial habitats, however, was more unique and showed lower dispersal, suggesting this habitat may serve as a nesting refugia for a core community of resident species. Temporally, we evaluated potential resilience of solitary bees to anticipated disruptions in bloom availability via novel, community-wide foraging on honeydew sugars produced by scale insects. We observed 56 native bee species using honeydew sugars during the early season low bloom, and determined that they locate this resource without visual cues. Overall, these findings suggest that native bee communities at Pinnacles National Park may be buffered against temporal resource shifts and may benefit from protection of the Alluvial habitat type. The patterns observed here should be evaluated in other locations to determine their value towards forecasting and managing widespread risks to native bees.

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Warrick, Douglas Robert. "Prey flight behaviors in response to wading bird disturbances and their influence on foraging strategy of Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias)." Thesis, Thesis (M.S.)--University of Oregon, 1992, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/9891.

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Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Bibliography: Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-91).
A geometric model using idealized prey behaviors in reaction to wading bird disturbances was developed to hypothesize how wading bird foraging strategy might most efficiently counter those behaviors. The model suggests that for prey responding to wading bird disturbances with flight response distance strongly negatively correlated to their distance from the point of disturbance, wading birds could employ disturbance facilitated social foraging strategy, thereby increasing individual foraging efficiency and selecting for social foraging. In controlled studies of the reactive behaviors of two primary prey species seen to be taken at disparate rates by solitary and socially foraging herons, schooling Shiner Surfperch exhibited behaviors favoring social foraging in herons, while Staghorn Sculpins exhibited no correlation in their flight response distances relative to their proximity to the disturbance, and seemed unlikely to be more efficiently utilized by socially foraging wading birds.

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Sjöberg, Johanna. "The Effect of Extra Food Stimulation on Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) Kept at Kolmården Zoo." Thesis, Linköpings universitet, Institutionen för fysik, kemi och biologi, 2011. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-69943.

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Stereotypic behaviors in all animals are more often than not associated with poor welfare. Limited access to perform species specific behaviors is often a reason for the development of stereotypies. Elephants with their great intelligence and need of social contact, coupled with a destructive a behavior are especially difficult to house in captivity. To decrease the occurrence of stereotypic behaviors in elephants, environmental enrichment in form of food enrichment is a good option, since elephants have a great need of foraging. The aim of this study was to investigate if an extra supply of food enrichment could decrease the presence of stereotypic behaviors at night in three Asian elephants at Kolmården zoo. Already existing hay nets attached to wires in the roof were used and connected to a timer. The hay nets were lowered to vision trunk reach between 6:00 am and 6:30 am during five days and the frequencies of selected behaviors were compared with the frequencies of the same behaviors during five preceding baseline nights. The animals were filmed using mounted cameras with IR lights. There was a significant decrease of stereotypic behavior for one of the elephants, but all three showed an increase in foraging whereof the increases were significant for two of them. One of the elephants showed no stereotypic behaviors at all during the study. To keep in mind is that the elephants have different backgrounds and experiences which might have influenced the results.

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Pavlic, Theodore P. "Optimal Foraging Theory Revisited." Connect to resource, 2007. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1181936683.

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Warrick, Gregory David. "MOUNTAIN SHEEP FORAGING BEHAVIOR (ARIZONA)." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/291298.

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Gamble, Jennifer R. "Suboptimal Foraging Behavior by Herring Gulls." W&M ScholarWorks, 2000. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1539626250.

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Rotaru-Varga, Adam. "Computer modelling of humpback whale foraging behaviours." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape3/PQDD_0012/MQ61489.pdf.

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Crocker, D. R. "Foraging behaviour in bullfinches (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)." Thesis, Imperial College London, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/47011.

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Karaköylü, Erdem Mustafa. "The foraging sorties hypothesis evaluating the effect of gut dynamics on copepod foraging behavior /." Diss., [La Jolla] : University of California, San Diego, 2010. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/ucsd/fullcit?p3398254.

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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 2010.
Title from first page of PDF file (viewed May 6, 2010). Available via ProQuest Digital Dissertations. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

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Morand-Ferron, Julie. "Foraging innovations and kleptoparasitism in birds." Thesis, McGill University, 2007. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=102814.

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The ability to invent new solutions to old or novel problems is often equated with intelligence, both in humans and non-human animals. Behavioural flexibility can be defined operationally by looking at the frequency of novel or unusual behaviours, i.e. innovations, in different taxa. Despite the potential survival benefits of behavioural flexibility in the face of changing conditions, there is variation among taxa in the propensity to innovate. Here, I examine in detail one foraging innovation, dunking behaviour (the immersion of food items in water) in Carib grackles (Quiscalus lugubris) of Barbados. I show that the rarity of dunking behaviour in the field is not due to the inability of most individuals to learn and/or perform it, but rather to the balance of costs and benefits not being favourable to its expression in most field conditions. In this population, dunking functions as a proto-tool food-processing technique speeding the ingestion of items that are difficult to swallow. The frequency of the behaviour depends on food characteristics, travel costs between the food source and water, and the probability of losing items to conspecifics. Dunking renders grackles vulnerable to food theft because it involves releasing food items in water, where there is often a build-up of conspecifics. When faced with a high risk of kleptoparasitism, grackles reduce the frequency of dunking, engage in aggressive displays, and keep items in the bill while dunking. Kleptoparasitism not only reduces the rate of dunking by increasing costs to the behaviour, but also by constituting an alternative foraging tactic. The payoffs to this tactic are frequency-dependent; i.e. they decrease as the frequency of kleptoparasites increases in the group. A comparative study on ecological, morphological and behavioural predictors of the occurrence of kleptoparasitic tactics among bird families point to an important role of predation and cognitive abilities in favouring the evolution of kleptoparasitism. Thus, avian food-stealing should not be regarded as a "cognitively simpler" alternative to intelligent behaviour, but as another form of behavioural flexibility. Large-brained primates and birds share the ability to learn quickly, innovate, use tools and engage in exploitative tactics, suggesting that these abilities have not been traded-off against each other, but have instead evolved together.

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Montague, David Miles. "Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Coyotes, Black Bears, and Bobcats in Western Virginia and Preliminary Assessment of Coyote Parasites." Thesis, Virginia Tech, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/50594.

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Although deer abundance is high throughout most areas of Virginia, parts of western Virginia, especially on public lands, have comparatively low density deer populations. Concerns voiced by sportsmen regarding declining deer numbers in this region prompted interest in research to investigate the role of predation on deer populations. The coyote (Canis latrans) is a relative newcomer to Virginia, and relatively little is known about the role coyotes play in Virginia ecosystem dynamics, including their interactions with other sympatric predators. Research studies in other areas suggest that predation from coyotes, bobcats (Lynx rufus), and black bears (Ursus americanus) may be a significant source of deer (Odocoileus virginianus) mortality, especially for fawns, and the cumulative effects of predation from these sources may also increase the potential for additive mortality in deer populations. An important consideration when comparing feeding strategies of carnivores is the relative availability of food items across the landscape. I estimated the relative seasonal availability of several potential food items in a mosaic landscape that included some areas of prescribed burning and variable timber harvest in the mountains of western Virginia between June 2011 and May 2013. I focused on 4 broad categories of food items: white-tailed deer, mid-sized mammals (raccoons, Procyon lotor, opossums, Didelphis virginiana, cottontails, Sylvilagus spp., and squirrels, Sciurus spp.), small mammals, and soft mast. I used distance sampling to estimate deer density, camera trapping techniques to estimate mid-sized mammal trapping rates and occupancy, mark-recapture techniques to estimate small mammal abundance, and vegetation sampling to estimate % cover, which I used as measures of food availability for predation. To estimate carnivore diet, I analyzed scats of coyotes (n = 334), bobcats (n = 258), and black bears (n = 107) collected monthly from June 2011 and May 2013. Additionally, I compared estimates of % occurrence to estimates of seasonal availability of deer, mid-sized mammals, small mammals, and soft mast by ranking availability of food items from 0 (unavailable) to 4 (highly available) from my monthly and seasonal food item abundance and density estimates. I then ranked % occurrence in scat on a 0 - 4 scale and compared diet rankings to food item availability where changes in rank indicate differences from the generalist diet.

Deer densities were substantially higher in Bath County (4.75 - 16.06 deer/km2) than in Rockingham County (0.17 - 3.55 deer/km2). I estimated availability of other food items only in Bath County. For mid-sized mammals, I estimated low activity as shown by constant, but low, trapping rates (#photo events/trap nights*100) of opossums, and relatively higher, constant trapping rates of cottontails. Raccoon and squirrel trapping rates were highly variable across seasons and raccoon occupancy (proportion of sites occupied) was higher in summer and fall (0.51 - 0.59) whereas squirrel occupancy was highest in October-November (0.51 - 0.53). Cottontail and opossum occupancies were higher in burned areas (0.40 - 0.57, 0.24 - 0.46, respectively), whereas raccoon and gray squirrel occupancies were higher in unburned areas (0.23 - 0.78, 0.12 - 0.58, respectively). Using program MARK I estimated high abundance and density of Peromyscus spp. in all seasons relative to other small mammal species. Densities of meadow voles and jumping mice were high seasonally in open field habitat. Densities of eastern chipmunks, red-backed voles, and Peromyscus spp. were significantly higher in burned areas relative to unburned sites. Among soft mast species, blueberries comprised the largest % occurrence. I expect a generalist predator to consume deer at a constant rate and have lower % deer occurrence in Rockingham County where deer densities are much lower. I expect seasonally constant, but low, occurrence of opossum and relatively higher, but similarly constant, occurrence of cottontail. I expect raccoon occurrence to be relatively high in summer and fall, and lower in winter. Squirrel occurrence should peak in October and November, followed by a steady decline until June. Based on availability, Peromyscus spp. should be the most commonly occurring small mammal in the diet of a generalist predator, rivaled by meadow voles (Clethrionomys gapperi) in fall and perhaps summer. I expect chipmunks (Tamias striatus) and red-backed voles to occur at constant but low rates in predator diets. I predict that various species of soft mast may occur during their respective fruiting seasons.

Deer were the most frequently occurring food item of coyotes in all months in both counties, with % biomass consumed highest in June (Bath: 60.0 - 90.9 %; Rockingham: 55.6 - 92.3%). Deer occurrence in bobcat scat peaked in June (77.54 %). In black bear scat, deer occurrence was highest in February and March (100 %), however sample sizes in these months were extremely low (n = 2, 3 respectively). All 3 predators consumed deer more than expected in June and July. In most months, coyotes consumed deer and soft mast more often than expected (1 rank higher) and they consumed deer much higher (2-3 ranks higher) than expected in January and February. While deer was a major food item in the diets of all 3 predators, it is unclear whether this observed result was caused by predation or scavenging. It is unlikely that coyotes, bears, or bobcats are preying on adult deer with high frequency. I did not estimate the availability of deer carcasses for scavenging in this study. If deer carcasses are highly available in the study area, this may explain the high occurrence of deer in carnivore scat and the lack of seasonality in coyote samples.

Mice (Peromyscus spp.) were consumed by predators less than expected based on availability, whereas squirrels and chipmunks were consumed by bobcats more than expected. Meadow and red-backed voles were consumed more than expected by both bobcats and coyotes. Mid-sized mammals occurred with expected frequency or lower in predator scats. Coyotes had the lowest diversity and variation in diet, whereas bobcat and bear diets were more diverse including seasonal use of many species. Coyotes exhibited more selectivity (based on changes, and magnitude of changes, in rankings for food item occurrence versus availability) and appear more specialized on deer in all months than bobcats.

I analyzed 203 randomly-selected coyote fecal samples using a modified Wisconsin fecal flotation technique. I identified 13 parasite taxa, 9 of which occurred with adequate frequency to permit statistical analysis. No landscape patterns or statistically significant seasonal differences were found in prevalence of parasite taxa, and only A. caninum and Eimeria spp. were significantly higher, and Cystoisospora spp. was somewhat significantly higher, in Bath versus Rockingham Counties. By comparing my data on spatio-temporal patterns of food availability to patterns in the scats of predators, we have better understanding of predator foraging strategies and can identify opportunities for targeted management to balance predator-prey dynamics with human needs and values. More research is needed on the interactions of sympatric predators in specific areas to gain further inferences regarding population-level impacts of predation on deer in western Virginia.
Master of Science

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Cuthill, I. C. "Experimental studies in optimal foraging theory." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1985. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.371519.

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Tello, Ramos Maria Cristina. "The foraging behaviour of hummingbirds through space and time." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/7402.

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Central place foragers, such as territorial hummingbirds, feed from resources that tend to be constant in space and to replenish with time (e.g. nectar in flowers). The ability to remember both where and when resources are available would allow these animals to forage efficiently. Animals that feed at multiple locations would also benefit from forming routes between these multiple locations. Hummingbirds are thought to forage by repeating the order in which they visit several locations following a route called a “trapline”, although there are no quantitative data describing this behaviour. As a first step to determining how and if wild free living hummingbirds forage by traplining, I decomposed this behaviour into some of its key components. Through five field experiments, where I trained free-living hummingbirds to feed from artificial flowers, I confirmed that territorial hummingbirds will, in fact, trapline. Birds will use the shortest routes to visit several locations and will prioritize those locations that are closest to a usual feeding site. Additionally, even though hummingbirds can learn to use temporal information when visiting several patches of flowers, the spatial location of those patches has a larger influence in how these birds forage in the wild. Since male and female hummingbirds were thought to forage differently I also tested whether there were sex differences in the types of cues they use when foraging. Contrary to expectation, female hummingbirds will also use spatial cues to relocate a rewarded site. Using the foraging ecology of rufous hummingbirds to formulate predictions as to what information these birds should use has lead me to discover that these birds forage in a completely different way than previously thought.

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Lane, Judith Virginia. "Three-dimensional foraging behaviour of Northern gannets." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2018. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/22716/.

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Movements of animals form a vital link between individual behaviour and spatial processes affecting populations, communities and ecosystems. Predators often have to search for prey that is unpredictable or patchily distributed and increasingly have to do so in habitats that are changing as a result of climate change or anthropogenic activity. Our understanding of animal movement has been revolutionised by the development of miniaturised loggers which allow tracking of individual animals over a range of spatial and temporal scales. However, while flight heights of birds are a critical component of avian movement ecology, they have been little-studied in comparison to horizontal movements. In this thesis I examine the three-dimensional foraging behaviour of northern gannets (Morus bassanus) at the world's largest breeding colony, at Bass Rock, Scotland. I first combine GPS and pressure data to estimate flight heights, and develop a novel refinement that uses sea surface pressure data to correct estimated heights during long periods of sustained flight. I then investigate sexual differences and effects of weather on three-dimensional foraging behaviour, before examining potential population-level consequences of mortality from collisions with offshore wind turbines. I found that sexual differences in foraging behaviour extend to the heights at which birds fly, and that wind speed in particular has a marked effect on movements and behaviour at sea. I also found that predicted levels of mortality from offshore wind farms would be likely to retard population growth but unlikely to drive the population into long-term decline. My thesis describes some of the complexity and flexibility of gannet foraging behaviour and highlights the importance of understanding movements in three dimensions.

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Marshall, Harry. "Social foraging behaviour in a varying environment." Thesis, Imperial College London, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/11178.

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Social foraging behaviour has an important influence on individuals’ survival and reproduction through its role in the acquisition of food resources. It also determines the amount of foraging time required in differing environments, and so the amount of time available for other activities, such as socialising and resting, which have been implicated in an individual’s fitness, as well as the stability of the wider social group. In this thesis I explore the links between these two processes by investigating the drivers of social foraging behaviour, and how the foraging time budgets that this behaviour produces vary between environments. I do this using data collected from a wild population of chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) in Namibia, under both natural and field-experimental conditions, and through the development of an individual-based model (IBM). I show that baboon foraging decisions are influenced by social and non-social factors, but that the relative influence of these factors is dependent on the characteristics of the forager and the habitat it is in. These differences in decision-making appear to allow all individuals in a group to experience similar foraging success under natural conditions, but this pattern breaks down in extreme conditions. Using these findings to build an IBM of social foraging, I show that the time individuals need to spend foraging can increase rapidly in a deteriorating environment to the point where they are no longer able to gather enough resources. Overall, the findings of this thesis contribute to the growing appreciation that social foragers can exhibit a high degree of behavioural flexibility. These findings also emphasise the long-standing recognition that individual-level behaviours have an important influence on higher-level ecological patterns and processes and that an appreciation of this is important, not only for our understanding of these patterns and processes, but also for informing conservation and management.

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Burch, Alexandra. "The foraging behaviour of shallow water crabs." Thesis, Bangor University, 1998. https://research.bangor.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/the-foraging-behaviour-of-shallow-water-crabs(0e293f58-80a5-466f-8d3a-90ac3c384b4c).html.

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This is a study of the foraging behaviour of Carcinus maenas on Mytilus edulis and of Thalamita danae on Perna viridis. Particular attention is given to differences arising in foraging behaviour as a result of intraspecific prey heterogeneity and experimental protocol. Intersite and temporal differences in the population density, shell morphology, biomass and byssal attachment strength of Mytilus edulis were found. Byssal attachment strength and shell strength were highly variable amongst individuals of a similar size. Carcinus maenas is strongly heterochelous. Intraspecific differences in the chelal mechanics, but not in the chelal geometry, were recorded; major chelae of large male crabs were significantly stronger than the major chelae of females and small males. Stomach content analyses showed that Carcinus maenas has a broad diet in which Mytilus edulis forms an important component. Intersite differences inMytilus edulis shell morphology altered the foraging behaviour of Carcinus maenas, and intersite and temporal variations in mussel flesh weight altered the prey value curves. Both C. maenas and Thalamita danae were highly prey size-selective when foraging on groups of different sized mussels, the size of prey most vulnerable to predation altering with the size composition of the group. The handling times of mussels for both species of crab were reduced when mussels were presented as part of a group as compared to when mussels were presented singly. For Carcinus maenas the reduced handling times resulted from the less extensive gleaning of mussel shells whilst for Thalamita danae reduced handling times appeared to result from the greater use of a more time efficient opening technique. When Carcinus maenas were presented with mussels of differing attachment strengths, crabs selected more weakly attached mussels over those with a more firm and rigid attachment. This selection did not appear to be based on prey value or prey length but rather on the resulting slight movement of weakly attached mussels whenever these were touched by a foraging crab.

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Godfrey, J. D. "Body-state dependent behaviour in birds." Thesis, University of Stirling, 1997. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.297839.

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Chalk, Daniel. "Artificially intelligent foraging." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10036/96455.

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Bumble bees (bombus spp.) are significant pollinators of many plants, and are particularly attracted to mass-flowering crops such as Oilseed Rape (Brassica Napus), which they cross-pollinate. B. napus is both wind and insect-pollinated, and whilst it has been found that wind is its most significant pollen vector, the influence of bumble bee pollination could be non-trivial when bee densities are large. Therefore, the assessment of pollinator-mediated cross-pollination events could be important when considering containment strategies of genetically modified (GM) crops, such as GM varieties of B. napus, but requires a landscape-scale understanding of pollinator movements, which is currently unknown for bumble bees. I developed an in silico model, entitled HARVEST, which simulates the foraging and consequential inter-patch movements of bumble bees. The model is based on principles from Reinforcement Learning and Individual Based Modelling, and uses a Linear Operator Learning Rule to guide agent learning. The model incoproates one or more agents, or bees, that learn by ‘trial-and-error’, with a gradual preference shown for patch choice actions that provide increased rewards. To validate the model, I verified its ability to replicate certain iconic patterns of bee-mediated gene flow, and assessed its accuracy in predicting the flower visits and inter-patch movement frequencies of real bees in a small-scale system. The model successfully replicated the iconic patterns, but failed to accurately predict outputs from the real system. It did, however, qualitatively replicate the high levels of inter-patch traffic found in the real small-scale system, and its quantitative discrepancies could likely be explained by inaccurate parameterisations. I also found that HARVEST bees are extremely efficient foragers, which agrees with evidence of powerful learning capabilities and risk-aversion in real bumble bees. When applying the model to the landscape-scale, HARVEST predicts that overall levels of bee-mediated gene flow are extremely low. Nonetheless, I identified an effective containment strategy in which a ‘shield’ comprised of sacrificed crops is placed between GM and conventional crop populations. This strategy could be useful for scenarios in which the tolerance for GM seed set is exceptionally low.

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Bluff, Lucas. "Tool use, foraging ecology and social dynamics in New Caledonian crows." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2008. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.670047.

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Otero, Villanueva Maria del Mar. "Diets, energetics and ecology of the sea urchin Psammechinus miliaris." Thesis, Open University, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.272955.

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Osborne, Sarah C. "Effect of the Acute Stress Response on Foraging Behavior in Mountain White-Crowned Sparrows, Zonotrichia Leucophrys." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2015. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/573.

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Free-living vertebrates likely encounter many stressors throughout their lifetime, from fighting off a predator to coping with unpredictable weather. As a result, vertebrates will mount an acute response to the stressors. Here, we outline previous research conducted in behavioral endocrinology and stress physiology as it relates to our research. We then discuss our study with white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) in Tioga Pass Meadow, in which we examined how the acute stress response affects foraging behavior 24 hours after a stressor. In birds that underwent a stress series, we found there to be a significant 57% decrease in foraging behavior 24 hours following the stressor. Additionally, we found no significant difference in foraging of unstressed birds during this same time frame. Our findings suggest that the acute stress response in this species causes a reduction in foraging activity 24 hours following a stressful event.

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Barton, Robert A. "Foraging strategies, diet and competition in olive baboons." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 1990. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/2767.

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Savannah baboons are amongst the most intensively studied taxa of primates, but our understanding of their foraging strategies and diet selection, and the relationship of these to social processes is still rudimentary. These issues were addressed in a 12-month field study of olive baboons (Papio anubis) on the Laikipia plateau in Kenya. Seasonal fluctuations in food availability were closely related to rainfall patterns, with the end of the dry season representing a significant energy bottleneck. The distribution of water and of sleeping sites were the predominant influences on home range use, but certain vegetation zones were occupied preferentially in seasons when food availability within them was high. The influence of rainfall on monthly variation in dietary composition generally mirrored inter-population variation. Phytochemical analysis revealed that simplistic dietary taxonomies can be misleading in the evaluation of diet quality. Food preferences were correlated with nutrient and secondary compound content. The differences between males and females in daily nutrient intakes were smaller than expected on the basis of the great difference in body size; this was partly attributable to the energetic costs of reproduction, and possibly also to greater energetic costs of thermoregulation and lower digestive efficiency in females. A strongly linear dominance hierarchy was found amongst the adult females. Dominance rank was positively correlated with food ingestion rates and daily intakes, but not with time spent feeding or with dietary quality or diversity. In a provisioned group, high-ranking females occupied central positions, while low-ranking females were more peripheral and were supplanted more frequently. In the naturally-foraging group, the intensity of competition was related to the pattern of food distribution, but not to food quality, and was greater in the dry season than in the wet season. The number of neighbours and rates of supplanting were correlated with rank, and evidence was presented that high-rankers monopolised arboreal feeding sites.

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Edelen, Mark Russell. "Swarm intelligence and stigmergy robotic implementation of foraging behavior /." College Park, Md. : University of Maryland, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1903/107.

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Thesis (M.S.) -- University of Maryland, College Park, 2003.
Thesis research directed by: Dept. of Mechanical Engineering. Title from t.p. of PDF. Includes bibliographical references. Published by UMI Dissertation Services, Ann Arbor, Mich. Also available in paper.

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Moll, Karin. "Biomechanics of the foraging behavior in leaf-cutting ants." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 2012. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.610342.

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Wintergerst, Sabine. "Modulators of foraging behavior by nectar-feeding bats (Glossophaginae)." Doctoral thesis, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 2018. http://dx.doi.org/10.18452/18673.

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Zahlreiche Forschungsarbeiten haben gezeigt, dass nicht nur Menschen, sondern auch Tiere konstante individuelle Unterschiede im Verhalten aufweisen. Zu verstehen warum sich diese Verhaltensunterschiede im Laufe der Evolution entwickelt haben, ist ein Ziel dieses Forschungsbereiches. In dieser Arbeit wurde untersucht wie verschiedene Modulatoren das Nahrungssuchverhalten von Blütenfledermäusen (Glossophaginae) beeinflussen um individuelle Verhaltensunterschiede zu quantifizieren und theoretische Vorhersagen zu testen. Alle Experimente wurden in naturnaher Umgebung mit programmierbaren, künstlichen Blüten durchgeführt. Es wird angenommen, dass die Plastizität von Verhalten ein generelles Merkmal ist in dem sich Tiere unterscheiden, da manche Individuen allgemein stärker auf Reize aus der Umwelt reagieren könnten als andere. Um diese Vorhersage zu testen, wurde die Nahrungsverfügbarkeit experimentell manipuliert und zwei Arten von Verhaltensplastizität in denselben Individuen gemessen. Die Ergebnisse unterstützen diese Annahme jedoch nicht, da die beiden Arten von Verhaltensplastizität nicht korrelieren. Neben Umwelteinflüssen können auch innere Merkmale wie die Stoffwechselrate das individuelle Nahrungssuchverhalten beeinflussen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass sich die Individuen in ihrem täglichen Energieverbrauch unterscheiden und dass diese Unterschiede mit dem Explorationsverhalten während der Nahrungssuche korrelieren. Zusätzlich kann das individuelle Nahrungssuchverhalten auch von sozialen Faktoren beeinflusst werden. Bei limitierter Nahrungsverfügbarkeit verteidigen einzelne Männchen Blüten gegen andere Männchen, jedoch nicht gegenüber Weibchen. Individuelle Unterschiede in der Aggression und Aktivität werden dagegen nicht von der sozialen Gruppenzusammensetzung beeinflusst. In dieser Arbeit wurden nicht nur individuelle Unterschiede im Nahrungssuchverhalten von Blütenfledermäusen bestimmt, sondern auch Vorhersagen aus dem Bereich der Persönlichkeitsforschung bei Tieren überprüft.
Animal personality research has shown that animals express individual differences in their behavior that are consistent over time and/or across situations. Furthermore, animal personality research aims to understand how these individual differences in behavior evolve and how they are maintained within populations. This thesis focuses on how different modulators influence the foraging behavior of nectar-feeding bats (Glossophaginae) in order to investigate consistent individual differences in their behavior and to test predictions proposed in the field of animal personality. All experiments were conducted in a semi-natural environment by using a setup of computer-controlled artificial flowers. One prediction of animal personality research is that behavioral plasticity is a single trait in which individuals differ because some individuals might be generally more responsive to changes in the environment than others. In order to test this prediction, resource availability was manipulated and two types of behavioral plasticity were quantified within the same individual. However, the two types of plasticity did not correlate and therefore this hypothesis was not supported. Individual foraging behavior can not only be modulated by changes in the environment but also by individual differences in internal traits like metabolic rates. Experiments confirmed that individual differences in daily energy expenditure correlated with consistent individual differences in exploration. Additionally, foraging behavior can also be modulated by social factors. When resources are limited some males started to defend flowers against other males but not against females. Furthermore, it could be shown that individual differences in aggression and activity are internally driven and not influenced by changes in the social group composition. This thesis not only assessed individual differences in the foraging behavior of nectar-feeding bats but also investigated predictions proposed in the field of animal personality research.

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Wilmshurst, John F. "Foraging behaviour and spatial dynamics of Serengeti herbivores." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp02/NQ35816.pdf.

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Clowater, James S. "Distribution and foraging behaviour of wintering western grebes." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk3/ftp04/mq37504.pdf.

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Kolling, Nils Stephen. "Decision making, the frontal lobes and foraging behaviour." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2015. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:ea509f5e-dca4-44e5-9f3f-f7d6550e5b45.

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The aim of this thesis was to understand the function of the frontal lobes during different types of decisions thusfar mostly neglected in cognitive neuroscience. Namely, I sought to understand how decisions are made when comparisons are not about a simple set of concrete options presented, but rather require a comparison with one specific encounter and a sense of the value of the current environment (Chapter 2-3). Additionally, I wanted to understand how decisions between concrete options can be contextualized by the current environment to allow considerations about changing environmental constraints to factor into the decision making process (Chapter 4-5). At last, I wanted to test how the potential for future behaviours within an environment has an effect on peoples decisions (Chapter 6). In other words, how do people construct prospective value when it requires a sense of own future behaviours? All this work was informed by concepts and models originating from optimal foraging theory, which seeks to understand animal behaviours using computational models for different ecological types of choices. Thus, this thesis offers a perspective on the neural mechanisms underlying human decision making capacities that relates them to common problems faced by animals and presumably humans in ecological environments (Chapter 1 and 7). As optimal foraging theory assumes that solving these problems efficiently is highly relevant for survival, it is possible that neural structures evolved in ways to particularly accommodate for the solution of those problems. Therefore, different prefrontal structures might be dedicated to unique ways of solving ecological kinds of decision problems. My thesis as a whole gives some evidence for such a perspective, as dACC and vmPFC were repeatedly identified as constituting unique systems for evaluation according to different reference frames. Their competition within a wider network of areas appeared to ultimately drive decisions under changing contexts. In the future, a better understanding of those changing interactions between these prefrontal areas which generate more complex and adaptive behaviours, will be crucial for understanding more natural choice behaviours. For this temporally resolved neural measurements as well as causal interference will be essential.

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Gill, Bruce Douglas Carleton University Dissertation Biology. "Foraging behaviour of tropical forest Scarabaeinae in Panama." Ottawa, 1986.

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Weise, Michael Joseph. "Foraging ecology of male California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) : movement, diving and foraging behavior, and diving capacity /." Diss., Digital Dissertations Database. Restricted to UC campuses, 2006. http://uclibs.org/PID/11984.

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Anderson, Carl. "The organisation of foraging in insect societies." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 1998. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.286576.

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McKean, Laurie Moore 1955. "Foraging efficiency and cultural transmission of information between Gray-breasted Jay flock members." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/276909.

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In this thesis I discuss (1) the importance of status-age variations in the foraging behavior of individuals within a flock and (2) cultural transmission of foraging information among Gray-breasted Jays (Aphelocoma ultramarina), a cooperative breeder. Results of the experiments suggest that (1) subordinates are less successful in certain foraging situations than dominants, (2) the foraging preferences of young birds are not as defined as those of adults, (3) subadults obtain foraging information from adult flock members, and (4) older subordinates may not change their established preferences as easily as dominants (or younger birds) even when a cost to that preference is introduced. I suggest that, at least in this cooperative breeder, the flock provides a valuable source of environmental information.

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Mackney, Pamela Ann. "Memory windows in stickleback behaviour." Thesis, Bangor University, 1994. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.321388.

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Kim, Wooyang. "Consumer as Inforagers: Ecological Information Foraging under Information Overload Paradigm - An Integrative Perspective between Darwinism and Non-Darwinism." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2014. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/267372.

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Business Administration/Marketing
Ph.D.
The main purpose of this dissertation is to assess ontological issues of information acquisition, focusing on information overload from an integrative perspective of two theoretical foundations, which links two perspectives of consumer behavior in information acquisition: foraging theory in behavioral ecology and information processing theory in marketing. Applying to the integrative investigation, the current research primarily emphasizes the infusion of ecological rationality (i.e., Darwinian Theory) into normative rationality (i.e., Newtonian Theory), but it is not alternative but complementary to each other. Ecological rationality, which is rooted in Darwinism, emphasizes that human behavior has developed through adaptation and natural selection as the human minds interact with environments. The current study consists of five chapters: the philosophical foundation of the rationalities, exploratory study, proposed hypotheses, empirical tests, and general discussion. A summary of the contents of each chapter is: The first chapter aims to provide an integrative framework of consumer information acquisition in order to explore ontological issues in information overload paradigm, attempting to synthesize different approaches in marketing and behavioral ecology. To explore, the current study emphasizes an integrative perspective between two theories for information acquisition (foraging and information processing), which are based on different philosophical foundations of the rationality (ecological and normative). Along with the process of the information acquisition, this study provides relevant consequences (decision-related responses and decision-related alternatives) after the information acquisition process and influential factors in temporal and psychological dimensions (time and motivation). Then, the conceptual study provides conclusion and the current research scope. The second chapter aims to examine the efficacy of the current study's theoretical integration in the process of consumer information foraging so as to approach an ontological issue in information overload paradigm: more information is better vs. less information is better (i.e., information processing theory and foraging theory under an information overload paradigm). Therefore, this study explores and examines what can be appropriate information structures to describe the ontological issue in the process of consumer information foraging. To formulate the adequate information structure, this study attempts to utilize an integrative perspective between marketing and behavioral ecology. This study examines consumers' online activities sequentially from a broad to detail approach, based on the categories of goods and services. The result, by and large, suggests a necessity of an integrative perspective to view a holistic information structure, including quantity, quality, and environment components. These structural components interactively communicate with minds when shaping the process of the consumer information foraging, which are likely to involve in the degree of information overload. Moreover, results demonstrate rather higher variation of strategic information foraging but emphasize some important communality in the initial stage of information foraging, such as the role of search engine and interpersonal communication. In addition, categories of goods and services affect shaping the pattern of strategic information foraging. Then, the conclusion of the study provides. The third chapter aims to propose a hypothetical model, based on the theoretical backgrounds in Chapter 1 and the findings of the exploratory study in Chapter 2. In addition, the pilot study was conducted to provide a concrete framework of the empirical study by checking the manipulation of holistic information structures. The manipulation of the structures includes the total quantity of information, the quality of information, and environmental information. Those structures measured on several resultant consequences, using the patch concepts (within-patch and between-patch). Controversially, in general, consumers tend to prefer more information rather than less information only when arranged information provides; otherwise, this preference attenuates. This controversial result also has conflicting variations, depending on the types of patches. Overall, the comparison in the within-patch and between-patch through displaying heterogeneous information structures suggests that holistic information structures are a more important factor than the mere quantity or quality of information. The fourth chapter empirically tests the theory-based hypothetical frameworks to assess the ontological issues in information overload paradigm using the integrative perspective of the two information acquisition theories. The findings of the empirical study suggest that the real-world information overload is not simply determined by a single dominant factor (e.g., quantity), but by the interplay of intricately intertwined factors. The factors are the following: information structures (three unarranged and four arranged information structures, including quantity, quality and environment), item categories (durables, nondurables and services), and time constraints (time pressure vs. no time pressure). The interwoven complexity implies that paradigmatic change of perspectives in relation with information overload though integrating two important conceptual factors between domain-specific dependency and universality. Moreover, the information overload begins with the browsing stage of acquiring the necessary information, not with the searching stage, suggesting the view of browsing-searching continuum that underscores the important role of the patch concept. As a whole, the conclusive findings suggest an integrative perspective between Darwinism and Non-Darwinism as a prerequisite of providing a better comprehension of the issues of the information overload paradigm. The fifth chapter is the section of general discussion including major findings, theoretical, methodological and empirical implications, limitations, and conclusive statement.
Temple University--Theses

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Street, Nigel E. "Group size and foraging in stoneloach, Noemacheilus barbatulus." Thesis, University of Leicester, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/34240.

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The effects of group size on aspects of stoneloach foraging behaviour were examined in laboratory experiments. Fish were observed under dark conditions, using infra red illumination and video equipment. Experiments were timed to coincide with the stoneloach's natural time of maximum activity, immediately after a period of artificially simulated dusk. Individual stoneloach located a concealed food source more rapidly when group size was increased from one to five fish. Large quantitative differences were observed between fish, and those which were slow to locate food when alone remained poor when conspecifics were present. Over a 900 sec period, individuals in groups of five fish spent a greater proportion of available time searching, and appeared to sample the environment more, when compared with individuals in groups of only two. An increase in sampling may have counteracted the observed reduction in the number of feeding attempts by the fish in the larger groups, which resulted from the increased emphasis on searching. Groups of both six and twelve fish, foraging in tanks comprising two feeding areas each containing a patch, and a central area where no food was available, distributed themselves roughly in accordance with the predictions of an ideal free distribution when patches were equally profitable. When the patches differed in profitability in a ratio of either 2:1 or 5:1, the number of fish found in the low profitability area was as predicted. However, the number found in the high profitability area fell below that predicted, due to the presence of some individuals in the central area of the tanks. It is suggested that the latter individuals were found in the central area as a result of non-aggressive interference between individuals in the high profitability area. Finally, the marginal value theorem was used to predict the optimal patch residence time. The prediction was met in experimental tests at a group size of one, but at group sizes of two or five fish the observed time was significantly lower than that predicted.

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Lenz, Friedrich. "Statistical analysis and stochastic modelling of foraging bumblebees." Thesis, Queen Mary, University of London, 2013. http://qmro.qmul.ac.uk/xmlui/handle/123456789/8542.

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In the analysis of movement patterns of animals, stochastic processes play an important role, providing us with a variety of tools to examine, model and simulate their behaviour. In this thesis we focus on the foraging of specific animals - bumblebees - and analyse experimental data to understand the influence of changes in the bumblebees’ environment on their search flights. Starting with a discussion of main classes of stochastic models useful for the description of foraging animals, we then look at a multitude of environmental factors influencing the dynamics of animals in their search for food. With this background we examine flight data of foraging bumblebees obtained from a laboratory experiment by stochastic analyses. The main point of interest of this analysis is the description, modelling and understanding of the data with respect to the influence of predatory threats on the bumblebee’s foraging search flights. After this detail-oriented view on interactions of bumblebees with food sources and predators in the experimental data, we develop a generalized reorientation model. By extracting the necessary information from the data, we arrive at a generalized correlated random walk foraging model for bumblebee flights, which we discuss and compare to the experimental data via simulations. We finish with a discussion of anomalous fluctuation relations and some results on spectral densities of autocorrelation functions. While this part is not directly related to the analysis of foraging, it concerns a closely related class of stochastic processes described by Langevin equations with non- trivial autocorrelation functions analyse experimental data to understand the influence of changes in the bumblebees’ environment on their search flights. Starting with a discussion of main classes of stochastic models useful for the description of foraging animals, we then look at a multitude of environmental factors influencing the dynamics of animals in their search for food. With this background we examine flight data of foraging bumblebees obtained from a laboratory experiment by stochastic analyses. The main point of interest of this analysis is the description, modelling and understanding of the data with respect to the influence of predatory threats on the bumblebee’s foraging search flights. After this detail-oriented view on interactions of bumblebees with food sources and predators in the experimental data, we develop a generalized reorientation model. By extracting the necessary information from the data, we arrive at a generalized correlated random walk foraging model for bumblebee flights, which we discuss and compare to the experimental data via simulations. We finish with a discussion of anomalous fluctuation relations and some results on spectral densities of autocorrelation functions. While this part is not directly related to the analysis of foraging, it concerns a closely related class of stochastic processes described by Langevin equations with nontrivial autocorrelation functions.

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Kapuscinsky, Hatch Karen. "Acquisition of foraging skills in juvenile ringdoves : who do they learn from?" Thesis, McGill University, 1991. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=61178.

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This thesis seeks to determine if juvenile birds preferentially select foraging information from their parents, by examining the acquisition of novel food-finding skills in juveniles of a flock-feeding species, the ringdove (Streptopelia risoria).
The first experimental examined the flock feeding behaviour of juvenile ringdoves foraging in a small aviary flock composed of kin and non-kin; frequencies of local enhancement, food begging and aggression were recorded, as well as the individuals that the juvenile associated with while searching for food. Juvenile ringdoves foraged significantly more often with their kin and were aggressed more by non-kin. The last three experiments tested juveniles on three components of foraging: novel food type, environmental colour cues associated with food and novel food-searching techniques. All three involved a choice-test where the juveniles had their father and an unrelated flock member as demonstrators. All three choice-tests showed there was no preference for selecting either demonstrator's solution. Juvenile doves in the field may appear to learn from their parents simply because they associate more with them. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

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Cahoon, Peter G. "A knowledge representation system for hummingbird foraging behaviour in a laboratory environment." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/26968.

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A knowledge representation system is presented for studying hummingbird behaviour in a laboratory environment. It is shown that a set of procedural rules can be developed, based on numerical, symbolic and heuristic techniques to aid in discovering how a hummingbird learns a simple spatial grid pattern of food sources. The use of different types of tree-like data structures facilitates a systematic representation of the knowledge fragments and allows a thorough cross-examination of both the experimental designs and the hypotheses. The problem of analyzing a non-uniformly sampled time series of behaviour observations is discussed and a solution proposed that uses a mathematical matching algorithm called warping. A trajectory of individual feeder visitations is generated by a bird behaviour model. The technique of warping is used to test if this trajectory can be mapped to another generated by a bird foraging. The two-dimensional analogue of the warping technique is applied to the spatial grid in order to evaluate the degree of spatial specialization in the bird's foraging behaviour. A correlation measure is applied to groups of pairs of rule combinations to ascertain which of these account for most of the observed behaviour. It is shown that by using a collection of different types of similarity measures a procedural approach can be formulated to aid in the representation of the knowledge accumulated by a hummingbird during the course of a spatially distributed foraging experiment. These procedures are arranged in a hierarchy of choices and implemented in an interpreter which formed the basis for an expert system in hummingbird spatial foraging. Experimental applications of these numerical algorithms and data structures are presented. The system was then tested on a complete series of behaviours by testing five different individuals on the same design. The procedural algorithms were calibrated on the first individual and then applied to subsequent individuals to test the knowledge representation derived from the first case. The results from this experiment suggest that a knowledge representation system composed from these rule fragments can be developed into a grammar that would standardize the testing of all spatial foraging experiments. In addition it is indicated that representing knowledge as a hierarchy of procedural options is of use in testing the way in which experimental knowledge is gathered. The implications of this knowledge of spatial foraging can be tested interactively as an experiment progresses.
Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies
Graduate

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Watts, James C. "Diel Patterns of Foraging Aggression and Antipredator Behavior in the Trashline Orb-weaving Spider, Cyclosa turbinata." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2014. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/2334.

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Few studies have rigorously assessed the adaptive value of diel rhythms in animals. We laid the groundwork for assessing the adaptive rhythm hypothesis by assaying diel rhythms of foraging and antipredator behavior in the orb-weaving spider Cyclosa turbinata. When confronted with a predator stimulus in experimental arenas, C. turbinata exhibited thanatosis behavior more frequently and for longer durations during the day. However, assays of antipredator response within webs revealed more complex diel patterns of avoidance behaviors and no pattern of avoidance behavior duration. Assays of prey capture behavior found that the likelihood of exhibiting prey capture behavior varied significantly across times of day and test subjects, but only test subject predicted attack latencies. Although C. turbinata foraging aggression changed over the diel cycle, we found no evidence of a trade-off between foraging behavior and predator vigilance. However, overall patterns of vigilance may be masked by diel changes in antipredator strategies.

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Palameta, Boris. "The importance of socially transmitted information in the acquisition of novel foraging skills by pigeons and canaries." Thesis, University of Cambridge, 1989. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.238208.

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Shepherdson, D. J. "Foraging behaviour and space use in the European badger (Meles meles L.)." Thesis, University of Sussex, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.377581.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Foraging behaviors'

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