Optimal Distributions

Group living

• When will individuals form groups?

Resource Exploitation

• What happens when many individuals exploit the same limited resources?
  • Competition
• The decisions made by one competitor may influence what others are doing
• In some cases this can lead to defence of resources

Dung flies

• Females come to dung to lay their eggs.
• Males wait on the dung for females, copulate with them, then guard them.
• Females need fresh dung as old dung gets a crust on top.
• How long should males wait for females?
• Competition - if other males stay for a short time it pays to stay longer (no competition) but if other males stay for a long time it pays to move to new dung.

How long to stay?

Resource Exploitation

• 2 habitats:
  • Rich habitat
  • Poor habitat
• Each individual exploits the habitat that gives it the most rewards
• Imagine no resource defence
• What will the first arrivals do?
• What will the last arrivals do?
• A point will be reached where the nest arrivals will do better to occupy the poorer qwuality habitat.
  • Less resources
  • But, less competition
• Eventually, the two habitats will be filled so the profitability is the same in each one.
• Profitability is the same for all individuals

The Ideal-Free Distribution

• As…