Patch density determines movement patterns and foraging efficiency of large herbivores

Scale and Foraging Hierarchies Identifying Spatial Patterns Significant to Large Herbivores

Multiple movement modes by large herbivores at multiple spatiotemporal scales.

Recent theory suggests that animals should switch facultatively among canonical movement modes as a complex function of internal state, landscape characteristics, motion capacity, and navigational capacity. We tested the generality of this paradigm for free-ranging elk (Cervus elaphus) over 5 orders of magnitude in time (minutes to years) and space (meters to 100 km). At the coarsest spatiotemp...

Patch exploitation by Tribolium castaneum: movement patterns, distribution, and oviposition

Stored-product insects often live in an environment of spatially separated food patches that vary considerably in size, quality, and persistence. The movement of individuals among patches of food influences the probability that stored products will become infested and pest populations will persist within storage facilities, thus affecting many aspects of pest management. We examined how a major...

Identifying Space Use at Foraging Arena Scale within the Home Ranges of Large Herbivores

An intermediate spatiotemporal scale of food procurement by large herbivores is evident within annual or seasonal home ranges. It takes the form of settlement periods spanning several days or weeks during which foraging activity is confined to spatially discrete foraging arenas, separated by roaming interludes. Extended by areas occupied for other activities, these foraging arenas contribute to...

How does the foraging behavior of large herbivores cause different associational plant defenses?

The attractant-decoy hypothesis predicts that focal plants can defend against herbivory by neighboring with preferred plant species when herbivores make decisions at the plant species scale. The repellent-plant hypothesis assumes that focal plants will gain protection by associating with nonpreferred neighbors when herbivores are selective at the patch scale. However, herbivores usually make fo...