Illius, A.W., and Gordon, I.J. (1990) Constraints on diet selection and foraging behaviour in mammalian herbivores. In: NATO ASI Series (20) pp. 369-393. From: NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Behavioural Mechanisms of Food Selection, 17-21 July 1989, Gregynog, UK.

PDF (Published Version) - Published Version Restricted to Repository staff only

Abstract

In a recent critique of optimality theory, Gray (1986) questioned the validity and usefulness of the optimality approach to the empirical study of foraging behaviour. He called instead for an epigenetic approach integrating morphological, physiological and behavioural processes. Without denying the role of optimality theory as a quantification of the premise that natural selection leads to adaptation (see Krebs & McCleery 1984), it must be recognised that optimality is an obscure condition to the extent that constraints are poorly defined. In this paper, we attempt to clarify and quantify the morphological, physiological and behavioural constraints on foraging in mammalian herbivores.

Item ID:	42660
Item Type:	Conference Item (Research - E1)
ISBN:	978-3-642-75118-9
Date Deposited:	10 Feb 2016 07:43
FoR Codes:	06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060299 Ecology not elsewhere classified @ 100%
SEO Codes:	97 EXPANDING KNOWLEDGE > 970106 Expanding Knowledge in the Biological Sciences @ 100%
	More Statistics