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Patch density determines movement patterns and foraging efficiency of large herbivores

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  • H.J. de Knegt
  • G.M. Hengeveld
  • F. van Langevelde
  • W.F. de Boer
  • K.P. Kirkman

Abstract

Few experimental studies have tested theoretical predictions regarding the movement strategies of large herbivores and their consequences for foraging efficiency. We therefore analyze how the movement and foraging behavior of goats are related to patch density, with patches being trees and bushes. We show that their movements become slower and more tortuous when patch density increases, resulting in shorter steps, more acute turns, and a lower net displacement. Furthermore, the movements of the goats can be well described by Lévy walks (LWs). In agreement with hypotheses generated by LW models, the goats move with μ ≈ 2 at low patch density but with μ ≈ 3 when patches are abundant. However, simplified statistical descriptors of movement patterns like the shape of the step/flight length and turn angle distributions become insufficient in predicting foraging efficiency when patch density is high because then the sequence of steps and turns becomes an important determinant of foraging efficiency. By changing their movements and behavior with increasing patch density, the goats intensify their utilization of resources and consequently are able to raise the efficiency of the foraging process more than proportional to the increase in patch density. This resembles the concept of area-restricted search, stating that animals concentrate their foraging effort in areas with high reward, thereby increasing the efficiency of foraging. The findings as presented in this paper provide support for theoretical expectations on the movement and foraging behavior of large herbivores in relation to resource density. Copyright 2007, Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • H.J. de Knegt & G.M. Hengeveld & F. van Langevelde & W.F. de Boer & K.P. Kirkman, 2007. "Patch density determines movement patterns and foraging efficiency of large herbivores," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 18(6), pages 1065-1072.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:beheco:v:18:y:2007:i:6:p:1065-1072
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/beheco/arm080
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    Cited by:

    1. Stefano Focardi & Paolo Montanaro & Elena Pecchioli, 2009. "Adaptive Lévy Walks in Foraging Fallow Deer," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 4(8), pages 1-6, August.
    2. Amanda E. Martin & Trent M. Hoover & John S. Richardson, 2013. "Modeling the role of stage-structured agonistic interactions in ontogenetic habitat shifts," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 24(2), pages 355-365.
    3. Surya G Nurzaman & Yoshio Matsumoto & Yutaka Nakamura & Kazumichi Shirai & Satoshi Koizumi & Hiroshi Ishiguro, 2011. "From Lévy to Brownian: A Computational Model Based on Biological Fluctuation," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(2), pages 1-11, February.
    4. Qi, Jie & Rong, Zhihai, 2013. "The emergence of scaling laws search dynamics in a particle swarm optimization," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 392(6), pages 1522-1531.
    5. Mouissie, A. Maarten & Apol, M. Emile F. & Heil, Gerrit W. & van Diggelen, Rudy, 2008. "Creation and preservation of vegetation patterns by grazing," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 218(1), pages 60-72.
    6. Marina E Wosniack & Marcos C Santos & Ernesto P Raposo & Gandhi M Viswanathan & Marcos G E da Luz, 2017. "The evolutionary origins of Lévy walk foraging," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(10), pages 1-31, October.
    7. Li, Zhaofeng & Jiang, Yichuan, 2014. "Friction based social force model for social foraging of sheep flock," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 273(C), pages 55-62.

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