Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Animal group forces resulting from predator avoidance and competition minimization

Beecham1, Farnsworth

  • 1Macaulay Land Use Research Institute, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK.

Journal of Theoretical Biology
|June 22, 1999
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

MPs say NHS consultants should not do private work

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2000
Same author

No evidence of racism in GMC complaints procedures

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2000
Same author

BMA's annual meeting expresses "no confidence" in GMC

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2000
Same author

GPs want self regulation to continue

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2000
Same author

Blair demands reform of the NHS

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2000
Same author

UK government wants GMC to be given stronger powers

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2000
Same journal

A Hybrid Reaction-Diffusion and Mechanical Stimulus Model for Mandibular Bone Remodeling under Chewing and Vibratory Loading.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Integrated tick management strategies in fragmented peridomestic environments.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Joint likelihood-free inference of the number of selected single nucleotide polymorphisms and their selection coefficients in an evolving population.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Misspecification of the generation time distribution and its impact on R<sub>t</sub> estimates in structured populations.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Stability-driven assembly meets Prigoginian informational dissipation. A mean-field ODE comment of entropy reduction and emergent proto-self.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
Same journal

Evolution of dispersal in a spatially heterogeneous population with finite patch sizes and catastrophes.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026
See all related articles

A new model explains animal spacing by balancing foraging needs against predation risks. This model accurately predicts group behavior, including spacing variations and stability changes with group size.

Area of Science:

  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Theoretical Ecology
  • Mathematical Biology

Background:

  • Animal group formation is a common phenomenon, but the underlying spacing mechanisms are complex.
  • Existing models often fail to capture the nuances of real-world animal group dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel, biologically grounded model explaining animal spacing within groups.
  • To elucidate the trade-offs influencing animal spatial arrangements, specifically foraging efficiency and predation risk.

Main Methods:

  • Derivation of a cost potential model based on foraging interference and predation risk.
  • Mathematical formulation of attractive and repulsive forces influencing animal positions.
  • Analysis of how interference and predation costs vary with animal separation.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • The model successfully explains the tendency for animals to form groups and key group attributes.
  • It accounts for the independence of mean spacing from population size and variations with resource availability and predation probability.
  • The model predicts the decline in group stability with increasing group size and the existence of 'neutral zones'.

Conclusions:

  • The developed model provides a robust framework for understanding animal spacing through cost-benefit trade-offs.
  • It offers insights into the emergent properties of collective animal behavior.
  • The model's principles can be applied to various species and ecological contexts.