Stomach fullness shapes prey choice decisions in crab plovers (Dromas ardeola).

ABSTRACT: Foragers whose energy intake rate is constrained by search and handling time should, according to the contingency model (CM), select prey items whose profitability exceeds or equals the forager's long-term average energy intake rate. This rule does not apply when prey items are found and ingested at a higher rate than the digestive system can process them. According to the digestive rate model (DRM), foragers in such situations should prefer prey with the highest digestive quality, instead of the highest profitability. As the digestive system fills up, the limiting constraint switches from ingestion rate to digestion rate, and prey choice is expected to change accordingly for foragers making decisions over a relative short time window. We use these models to understand prey choice in crab

SUBMITTER: Gommer R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5895019 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature