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Related Experiment Videos

The allometry of patch selection in ruminants.

J F Wilmshurst1, J M Fryxell, C M Bergman

  • 1Department of Zoology, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. wilmshurstj@em.agr.ca

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|March 18, 2000
PubMed
Summary
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Causes and consequences of migration by large herbivores.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2011

Grazing animals like herbivores often choose sparse, low-biomass forage over dense, high-biomass food. This strategy maximizes energy gain by balancing intake rate with nutritional quality, influenced by animal body size.

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Animal Behavior
  • Nutritional Ecology

Background:

  • Animal food intake rate typically increases with prey abundance.
  • Herbivores, particularly grazers, paradoxically prefer sparse swards over dense ones, suggesting a trade-off.
  • Migratory herbivores often move from high to low sward biomass areas seasonally.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the trade-off between forage abundance and nutritional quality in herbivores.
  • To develop a model predicting optimal sward biomass for energy maximization based on body size.
  • To understand the influence of body mass on herbivore habitat selection.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized previously published studies to construct a synthetic model.
  • Modeled the trade-offs between forage abundance and quality.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Investigated allometric scaling between grass abundance and energy maximization.

    • Main Results:

    • The model predicted that optimal sward biomass scales allometrically with herbivore body size.
    • Nutritional quality is inversely related to grass abundance, leading herbivores to sacrifice short-term intake for better nutrition.
    • Predicted size-related variations in habitat selection were observed in Serengeti ungulates.

    Conclusions:

    • Herbivores balance forage intake rate and nutritional quality to maximize energy gain.
    • Optimal forage biomass for energy maximization is allometrically linked to herbivore body size.
    • This allometric relationship aids in predicting herbivore habitat selection patterns.