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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2026

Foraging Path-length Protocol for Drosophila melanogaster Larvae

Foraging Path-length Protocol for Drosophila melanogaster Larvae

Published on: April 23, 2016

Optimal foraging for multiple nutrients in an unpredictable environment.

Alasdair I Houston¹, Andrew D Higginson, John M McNamara

¹School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK.

Ecology Letters

|September 17, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Organisms can balance multiple nutrient needs. A new model shows animals should focus on one food, then follow a border to meet all nutrient requirements.

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Quantification of Macronutrients Intake in a Thermogenetic Neuronal Screen using Drosophila Larvae

Quantification of Macronutrients Intake in a Thermogenetic Neuronal Screen using Drosophila Larvae

Published on: June 11, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 29, 2026

Foraging Path-length Protocol for Drosophila melanogaster Larvae

Foraging Path-length Protocol for Drosophila melanogaster Larvae

Published on: April 23, 2016

Quantification of Macronutrients Intake in a Thermogenetic Neuronal Screen using Drosophila Larvae

Quantification of Macronutrients Intake in a Thermogenetic Neuronal Screen using Drosophila Larvae

Published on: June 11, 2020

Area of Science:

Behavioral Ecology
Mathematical Biology

Background:

Foraging theory traditionally focuses on single resource acquisition.
Existing models for multiple nutrients do not predict food selection sequences.

Discussion:

A new optimization model addresses two foods with two nutrients.
It assumes reproductive value decreases with distance from target nutrient intake.

Key Insights:

Nutrient space is divided into areas for exclusive consumption of one food.
Animals concentrate on one food until a border is reached, then follow it.

Outlook:

This strategy is observed across diverse organisms.
The model suggests a common fitness function underlies these foraging behaviors.