Faith and Foraging: A Critique of the “Paradigm Argument from Design”

Gray, Russell D.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4613-1839-2_2

Cited by 63 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 528 publications

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“…A response of this type is based on an assessment of net energy gain per unit time and is thus fundamental to much of optimal foraging and effective exploitation of patchily distributed prey (Stephens & Krebs 1986). Future work, based on consideration of both animal physiology and behaviour, should help clarify inconsistencies in optimal foraging theory (Gray 1987) by helping us to understand the decisions made by animals foraging in complex environments. Ultimately, perhaps, such work might demonstrate that even intractable species, such as highly mobile freeliving marine predators, might adhere to optimized foraging in the same way as many species more conveniently examined in captivity (Krebs & Kalcenik 1991, Perry & Pianka 1997.…”

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confidence: 99%

Penguins predict their performance

Wilson¹

2003

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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New technology has allowed inter-dive oxygenloading behaviour to be assessed in free-living Magellanic penguins Spheniscus magellanicus and shows, via pre-dive hyperventilation and oxygen loading, that birds predict both their upcoming dive performance in terms of duration and depth, and foraging success based on the number of prey they are likely to catch. Thus wild penguins make decisions based on complex environmental parameters and this leads to particularly efficient time use as expected according to optimized foraging. KEY WORDS: Oxygen loading · Optimal foraging · Predator prey interactions · Magellanic penguinResale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

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confidence: 99%

Penguins predict their performance

Wilson¹

2003

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Despite studies, such as those cited above, showing a general agreement between theoretical OFT results and field observations, there has remained some debate as to whether animals actually do forage optimally (Gray 1987;Shoener 1987). While the theory is attractive conceptually, and continues to develop, its place in practical applications remains in doubt.…”

Section: T (2)mentioning

confidence: 99%

The assumption of optimality in foraging models: A simulated experiment with dairy cows grazing grass pasture

Woodward

Parsons

Kirk

2008

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

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The "patch model" of optimal foraging theory (OFT) assumes that animals choose and exploit patches of food in order to maximise their food intake rate and derives the foraging rules (patch selection and exploitation) to achieve this. While evidence from field studies has been found to be broadly consistent with the predictions of OFT, this does not imply that animals actually forage using OFT rules, however, as the same observations could possibly arise as the result of non-optimising foraging rules (e.g., avoidance of low food intake rate). Because OFT is potentially very useful for the purpose of managing animal production systems (e.g., for predicting and manipulating the intake of grazing dairy cows), it is of interest to know to what extent OFT remains useful if animals actually behave suboptimally. This paper examines this question by simulating animals foraging in a two-dimensional spatially heterogeneous environment (New Zealand A07039; Online publication date 13 March 2008 Received 24 May 2007 accepted 19 December 2007 dairy cows grazing grass pasture) using six different foraging rules with varying degrees of optimality. The results showed that both optimal patch selection and optimal patch residence time rules significantly increase intake rate in this type of environment, but differences resulting from use of different variations of the patch selection rules are small. Therefore, although OFT is highly simplified, and animals' senses and knowledge are imperfect, this need not preclude the use of OFT in practical applications, as the predictions of OFT are likely to be similar to the predictions of other, more realistic, foraging strategies, even when these are quite sub-optimal in formulation.

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“…The panbiogeographic synthesis concerns the interrelationship of space, time, and form in all its aspects (Croizat 1964) andNew Zealand interest has included discussion of Croizat's "orthogeny" or "orthogenesis" in relation to similar concepts such as developmental constraints (Grehan 1984;Grehan & Ainsworth 1985), reappraisal of the various traditions influencing the concept of "ancestor" and their significance for evolutionary and phylogenetic studies (Heads 1985b), and the role of panbiogeography in evolutionary ecology and concepts of organism-environment relations (Gray 1987a(Gray , b, 1988. Gray (1987bGray ( , 1988) also focused on the interrelationship between ecology and evolution to develop the concept of areciprocal constraint between organism and environment as represented by the panbiogeographic metaphor "earth and life evolve together".…”

Section: New Zealand and The Panbiogeograpidc Synthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

New Zealand panbiogeography: Past, present, and future

Grehan

1989

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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The history of panbiogeography in New Zealand leading up to the 1988 National Museum symposium on the panbiogeography of New Zealand is reviewed. The general historical significance of Leon Croizat's contribution to the natural sciences and his impact on New Zealand biogeography is discussed. It is suggested that Charles Fleming's biogeographic synthesis of New Zealand represented a major prelude to the current New Zealand interest in panbiogeography. Panbiogeography could playa major role in the contribution of museums to science and society through its methodlogical and conceptual links with both the Arts and Sciences.

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Faith and Foraging: A Critique of the “Paradigm Argument from Design”

Cited by 63 publications

References 528 publications

Penguins predict their performance

Penguins predict their performance

The assumption of optimality in foraging models: A simulated experiment with dairy cows grazing grass pasture

New Zealand panbiogeography: Past, present, and future

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