Monkeys will often actively search for fruit trees, feeding on the fruit within

Question

Monkeys will often actively search for fruit trees, feeding on the fruit within a tree until it is mostly gone and then leaving to look for another tree in which to feed. Optimal foraging theory makes predictions about which behaviors should be favored by natural selection. Consider the following figure:

A. What is the key assumption upon which optimal foraging theory is based?

B. How do the fruit trees in panel (a) above differ from each other from the perspective of a monkey? For how long should a monkey forage in each tree before leaving? Be specific.

C. How do the fruit trees in panel (b) above differ from each other from the perspective of a monkey? For how long should a monkey forage in each tree before leaving? Be specific.

D. Given your previous answer, what is an alternative hypothesis about how the fruit trees in panel (b) above differ from each other from the perspective of a monkey that would also explain the observed patterns? Explain.

Cumulative energy gain (G) Cumulative energy gain (G) k-=-=- -- Tree 1 Tree 2 051015 20 25 30 35 40 45 Time (7) Tree 1 Tree 2 051015 20 25 30 35 40 45 Time (7)

Explanation / Answer

A. The key assumtion of the optimal foraginng theory is that the most economically favourable foraging pattern, i.e. the one providing maximum energy in return of minimal energy and time devoted for searching and capturing food, is selected by natural selection.

B. Trees in panel (a) differ in the time - 10 for tree1 and 20 for tree2- it would it for a monkey to reach them. A monkey wll forage on tree1 for 35 and on tree 2 for 45 units of time.

C and D. In panel (b), unlike (a) the trees are accessible after same time expense but tree 1 has a steeper slope (of the tangent) as compared to tree 2 indicating that it will provide higher energy gain in a shorter time. Hence a monkey will forage on it for a longer time than it would on tree -37 for tree 1 and 27 for tree 2.

NOTE: the speific units of time spent by monkey to forage is determined by the intersection of the dotted line drawn from the ennd of the curved line with the x-axis.

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