Patch use under predation hazard : effects of the red imported fire ant on deer mice foraging behavior /

associated with foraging in the presence of fire ants were

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Holtcamp, Wendee Nicole, 1970-
Format: Thesis eBook
Language:English
Published: [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified] ; 1995.
Subjects:
Online Access:Link to OAKTrust copy
Description
Summary:associated with foraging in the presence of fire ants were
by examining two aspects of patch use: density-dependence of
compensated for by biasing effort toward rich patches. Mice
disproportionately higher harvest rate in rich patches in the
experimental arena containing two rich and two poor resource
fire ants, and were filled with 5 or 16 whole sunflower seeds
harvest. Mice also made significantly more patch visits,
harvested more seeds, spent more time, and had a
I compared patch use patterns of deer mice foraging in the
in the absence of fire ants, meaning the mice harvested the
in their presence. Resource harvest was density-independent
increased costs or lost time due to taking seeds to
made more out-of-patch foraging bouts (taking seeds to
mixed in with 250 ml sand. Foraging strategy was identified
of rich and poor patches in their absence.
patches, resulting in positively density-dependent resource
patches. All patches either had fire ants or did not have
presence and absence of a non-conventional predation hazard,
presence and absence of fire ants. The increased costs
presence of fire ants, mice biased effort toward rich
presence of fire ants; there were no differences between use
protective cover, mice harvested the same number of seeds in
protective cover), and spent more time foraging out of the
red imported fire ants. Deer mice foraged for 60 min in an
resource harvest and over/underuse of rich patches relative
resource patches in the presence of fire ants. Despite any
same proportion of seeds from rich and poor patches. In the
strategy in the absence of fire ants to a Bayesian strategy
the same total time at the same overall harvest rate in the
to poor. Deer mice switched from a fixed search time
Item Description:"Major subject: Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences".
Vita.
Physical Description:xi, 68 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm.
Also available online.
Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references.