Marginal Value Theory
- Created by: BethCuddington
- Created on: 11-12-16 13:43
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- Marginal Value Theory
- Optimal forager should stay at a patch until its rate of intake (marginal value) drops to the average level of intake for the patches in its habitat
- I.E. Animal should not stay at a patch if it can do better by travelling to another
- ASSUMPTIONS
- Individual controls when they leave a patch in order to maximise rate of intake
- Food depleted as time spent there increases, so rate of intake decreases as a function of time spent at patch
- Patches are equal in quality OR if not, they are randomly distributed through environment
- PREDICTIONS
- Exploit patches for shorter when: quality is lower and travel time is lower
- Exploit patches for longer when: quality is higher and travel time to patches is longer
- Patches should be reduced to same marginal value
- Individuals should move on when average rate of intake is the same as the average rate of intake for the habitat
- IMPORTANT FACTORS
- Average quality of patches in foraging area
- Time and energy to move to another patch
- Index of declining quality of patch
- Rule of thumb for deciding when to move
- Optimal forager should stay at a patch until its rate of intake (marginal value) drops to the average level of intake for the patches in its habitat
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