Social Foraging Theory

by Luc-Alain Giraldeau, Thomas Caraco

Overview

Although there is extensive literature in the field of behavioral ecology that attempts to explain foraging of individuals, social foraging—the ways in which animals search and compete for food in groups—has been relatively neglected. This book redresses that situation by providing both a synthesis of the existing literature and a new theory of social foraging. Giraldeau and Caraco develop models informed by game theory that offer a new framework for analysis. Social Foraging Theory contains the most comprehensive theoretical approach to its subject, coupled with quantitative methods that will underpin future work in the field. The new models and approaches that are outlined here will encourage new research directions and applications.


To date, the analysis of social foraging has lacked unifying themes, clear recognition of the problems inherent in the study of social foraging, and consistent interaction between theory and experiments. This book identifies social foraging as an economic interaction between the actions of individuals and those of other foragers. This interdependence raises complex questions about the size of foraging groups, the diversity of resources used, and the propensity of group members to exploit each other or forage cooperatively. The models developed in the book will allow researchers to test their own approaches and predictions. Many years in development, Social Foraging Theory will interest researchers and graduate students in such areas as behavioral ecology, population ecology, evolutionary biology, and wildlife management.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780691048772
Publisher:	Princeton University Press
Publication date:	06/04/2000
Series:	Monographs in Behavior and Ecology , #73
Pages:	376
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Luc-Alain Giraldeau is Professor of Biology at Université du Québec à Montréal. Thomas Caraco is Associate Professor of Biology at the State University of New York, Albany.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xv

1 Social Foraging Theory: Definitions, Concepts, and Methods 3

1.1 What Is Social Foraging? 3

1.2 Concepts and Methods of Social Foraging Theory 6

1.3 Interactions Among Social Foragers 15

1.4 Concluding Remarks 17

Math Boxes 1.1-1.3 19

PART ONE: Group Membership Games

2 Two-Person Games: Competitive Solutions 35

2.1 Introduction 35

2.2 Achieving an Aggregation Economy 36

2.3 A Symmetric Group Membership Game 40

2.4 An Asymmetric Group Membership Game 43

2.5 Concluding Remarks 48

Math Box 2.1 50

3 Two-Person Games: Conditional Cooperation 54

3.1 Introduction 54

3.2 Food-Sharing with a Communal Cost 56

3.3 Food-Calling and Cooperation 66

3.4 Concluding Remarks 73

Math Boxes 3.1-3.3 78

4 Group Size in Aggregation Economies 85

4.1 Introduction 85

4.2 Which Group Size to Expect? 87

4.3 The Effect of Genetic Relatedness on Equilibrium Group Size 90

4.4 Integrating Entry Rules, Relatedness, and Aggressive Dominance 96

4.5 Risk-Sensitive Group Membership Games 100

4.6 Concluding Remarks 109

Math Boxes 4.1-4.4 113

5 Predicting Group Size in Dispersion Economies 119

5.1 Introduction 119

5.2 Introduction to Continuous Input Models 121

5.3 Changing the Assumptions of Continuous Input Models 123

5.4 Introduction to Interference Models

5.5 Changing the Assumptions of Interference Models 140

5.6 Concluding Remarks 146

PART TWO: Producer-Scrounger Decisions

6 An Introduction to Producer-Scrounger Games 151

6.1 Introduction 151

6.2 The Diversity of Kleptoparasitism 152

6.3 Kleptoparasitism: A Game-Theoretic Approach 153

6.4 A Symmetric Rate-Maximizing Producer-Scrounger Model 155

6.5 Empirical Tests of the Rate-Maximizing Producer-Scrounger Model 164

6.6 Concluding Remarks 168

Math Box 6.1 170

7 Producer-Scrounger Games in Stochastic Environments 174

7.1 Introduction 174

7.2 A Stochastic Producer-Scrounger Game 174

7.3 Analysis of the Stochastic Game 180

7.4 Numerical Evaluation 184

7.5 Experimental Evidence of Risk-Sensitive 194

7.6 Concluding Remarks 196

Math Boxes 7.1-7.2 199

PART THREE: Decisions within Patches

8 Social Patch and Play Models 205

8.1 Introduction 205

8.2 Models of Social Patch Exploitation 206

8.3 Tests of Social Patch Models 220

8.4 Social Prey Models 222

8.5 Concluding Remarks 225

PART FOUR: Models of Phenotypic Diversity

9 Quantifying Phenotypic Diversity 229

9.1 Composition of Foraging Groups 229

9.2 Quantifying Variability in Foraging Behavior 232

9.3 Phenotypic Diversity 234

9.4 Concluding Remarks 246

Math Box 9.1 248

10 Learning in Foraging Groups 253

10.1 Introduction 253

10.2 Some Functional Definitions of Learning 253

10.3 Learning How: Individual Learning Only 255

10.4 Models of Individual Learning Only 257

10.5 Learning How: Social Learning 269

10.6 Models with Both Individual and Social Learning How 271

10.7 Learning About Individual Learning 277

10.8 Learning About Social Learning 277

10.9 Concluding Remarks 280

Math Boxes 10.1-10.3 282

11 Efficiency of Diversity: The Skill Pool 287

11.1 Background 288

11.2 A Skill Pool: Static Model 289

11.3 A Skill Pool: Stochastic Dynamic Model 302

11.4 Conclusions 315

Math Box 11 .1 322

PART FIVE: Final Thoughts

12 Synthesis and Conclusions 325

12.1 Introduction 325

12.2 Group Membership Models 325

12.3 Searching Decisions within Groups 330

12.4 Models for Decisions within Patches 331

12.5 Models of Phenotypic Diversity 332

12.6 Conclusions 334

References 335

Subject Index 359

Species Index 361

Editorial Reviews

Social Foraging Theory will stimulate and guide future work on the evolution and ecology of group foraging for years to come.—-Graeme D. Ruxton, Book Reviews


This book will surely have a major influence on the field of behavioral ecology for years to come . . . To offer a shameless directive, if you have any interest in the evolution of social behavior, do yourself a favor and read this book.—-Thomas A. Waite, Ecology


This book's] framework is so useful and insightful that I expect it to be very widely used. I find it hard to imagine how the authors of any future paper published on the foraging of animals in groups could get away without citing this work. I think it will become a classic text.—-Graeme D. Ruxton, Ethology


A well-written, extensive, and unique review of the theoretical model developed to predict and explain the foraging behaviors of animals while in groups. . . . Behavioral ecologists specializing in animal foraging will find this book to be an indispensable resource.—-Craig L. Frank, Quarterly Review of Biology


In what is certain to become a landmark publication, Luc-Alain Giraldeau and Thomas Caraco present a frame that links differing ecological questions that, to date, have rarely been related.—-Michael Gillingham, ISBE Newsletter

From the Publisher

In what is certain to become a landmark publication, Luc-Alain Giraldeau and Thomas Caraco present a frame that links differing ecological questions that, to date, have rarely been related.

ISBE Newsletter - Michael Gillingham

A well-written, extensive, and unique review of the theoretical model developed to predict and explain the foraging behaviors of animals while in groups. . . . Behavioral ecologists specializing in animal foraging will find this book to be an indispensable resource.

Quarterly Review of Biology - Craig L. Frank

This book will surely have a major influence on the field of behavioral ecology for years to come . . . To offer a shameless directive, if you have any interest in the evolution of social behavior, do yourself a favor and read this book.

Ecology - Thomas A. Waite

This book's] framework is so useful and insightful that I expect it to be very widely used. I find it hard to imagine how the authors of any future paper published on the foraging of animals in groups could get away without citing this work. I think it will become a classic text.

Book Reviews - Graeme D. Ruxton

In what is certain to become a landmark publication, Luc-Alain Giraldeau and Thomas Caraco present a frame that links differing ecological questions that, to date, have rarely been related.
— Michael Gillingham

ISBE Newsletter

A well-written, extensive, and unique review of the theoretical model developed to predict and explain the foraging behaviors of animals while in groups. . . . Behavioral ecologists specializing in animal foraging will find this book to be an indispensable resource.
— Craig L. Frank

Quarterly Review of Biology

This book's] framework is so useful and insightful that I expect it to be very widely used. I find it hard to imagine how the authors of any future paper published on the foraging of animals in groups could get away without citing this work. I think it will become a classic text.
— Graeme D. Ruxton

Ethology

This book will surely have a major influence on the field of behavioral ecology for years to come . . . To offer a shameless directive, if you have any interest in the evolution of social behavior, do yourself a favor and read this book.
— Thomas A. Waite

Ecology

Social Foraging Theory will stimulate and guide future work on the evolution and ecology of group foraging for years to come.
— Graeme D. Ruxton

Book Reviews