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Linking patch-use behavior, resource density, and growth expectations in fish

Persson, Anders LU and Stenberg, Marika LU (2006) In Ecology 87(8). p.1953-1959
Abstract
Optimality theory rests on the assumptions that short-term foraging decisions are driven by variation in environmental quality, and that these decisions have important implications for long-term fitness. These assumptions, however, are rarely tested in a field setting. We linked behavioral foraging decisions in food patches with measures of environmental quality covering larger spatial (resource density) or temporal (growth parameters) scales. In 10 lakes, we measured the food density at which benthic fish give up foraging in experimental food patches (giving-up density, GUD), quantified the biomass of benthic invertebrates, and calculated the maximum individual size (L-infinity) of bream (Abramis brama L.), a typical benthivore in these... (More)
Optimality theory rests on the assumptions that short-term foraging decisions are driven by variation in environmental quality, and that these decisions have important implications for long-term fitness. These assumptions, however, are rarely tested in a field setting. We linked behavioral foraging decisions in food patches with measures of environmental quality covering larger spatial (resource density) or temporal (growth parameters) scales. In 10 lakes, we measured the food density at which benthic fish give up foraging in experimental food patches (giving-up density, GUD), quantified the biomass of benthic invertebrates, and calculated the maximum individual size (L-infinity) of bream (Abramis brama L.), a typical benthivore in these lakes. We found positive relationships between resource density and both GUD and L-infinity, and a positive relationship between L-infinity and GUD. Prey characterized as vulnerable to predation contributed most to the relationships between resource density and either GUD or L-infinity. A path analysis showed that resource density and L-infinity directly explained 54% and 28%, respectively, of the variation in GUD, whereas 86% of the variation in L-infinity was explained by resource density, with mostly indirect contribution from GUD. We conclude that the short-term foraging behavior of benthivores matched our expectations based on optimality theory by being positively linked to variables on environmental quality operating at both a larger spatial scale and a longer temporal scale. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Ecology
volume
87
issue
8
pages
1953 - 1959
publisher
Ecological Society of America
external identifiers
  • wos:000239833400011
  • scopus:33747043353
ISSN
0012-9658
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ba50b8c2-4dfa-44a9-ae02-7c67b7d2990b (old id 162598)
alternative location
http://lup.lub.lu.se/luur?func=downloadFile&fileOId=625706
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:16:48
date last changed
2024-04-11 20:56:56
@article{ba50b8c2-4dfa-44a9-ae02-7c67b7d2990b,
  abstract     = {{Optimality theory rests on the assumptions that short-term foraging decisions are driven by variation in environmental quality, and that these decisions have important implications for long-term fitness. These assumptions, however, are rarely tested in a field setting. We linked behavioral foraging decisions in food patches with measures of environmental quality covering larger spatial (resource density) or temporal (growth parameters) scales. In 10 lakes, we measured the food density at which benthic fish give up foraging in experimental food patches (giving-up density, GUD), quantified the biomass of benthic invertebrates, and calculated the maximum individual size (L-infinity) of bream (Abramis brama L.), a typical benthivore in these lakes. We found positive relationships between resource density and both GUD and L-infinity, and a positive relationship between L-infinity and GUD. Prey characterized as vulnerable to predation contributed most to the relationships between resource density and either GUD or L-infinity. A path analysis showed that resource density and L-infinity directly explained 54% and 28%, respectively, of the variation in GUD, whereas 86% of the variation in L-infinity was explained by resource density, with mostly indirect contribution from GUD. We conclude that the short-term foraging behavior of benthivores matched our expectations based on optimality theory by being positively linked to variables on environmental quality operating at both a larger spatial scale and a longer temporal scale.}},
  author       = {{Persson, Anders and Stenberg, Marika}},
  issn         = {{0012-9658}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{1953--1959}},
  publisher    = {{Ecological Society of America}},
  series       = {{Ecology}},
  title        = {{Linking patch-use behavior, resource density, and growth expectations in fish}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4624357/625706.pdf}},
  volume       = {{87}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}