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waders and their estuarine food supplies - Vlaams Instituut voor de ...

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1 2a 2b 2c- 3a 3b 3c 4a 4c 5a 5b 5c<br />

Fig. III. Adaptation ol the Oystcicakhci's probing <strong>de</strong>plh to pay<br />

<strong>de</strong>nsity. Mean probing <strong>de</strong>plh lOi<strong>and</strong> lrei|iiency distribution .. h <strong>and</strong> F. F has<br />

OPTIMAL FORAGING AND THE FUNCTIONAL RESPONSE<br />

148<br />

been set to I. for all prey have the same energy value.<br />

The value of A. can only be estimated if it is known that<br />

the Oystercatcher took all prey encountered. This was<br />

<strong>de</strong>finitely the case for the lowest prey <strong>de</strong>nsities (Fig.<br />

9). That is why we selected the observations on h<strong>and</strong>ling<br />

time for the three lowest <strong>de</strong>nsities to measure the<br />

effect of <strong>de</strong>pth on h<strong>and</strong>ling time:<br />

h (s) = 3.7 (<strong>de</strong>pth, cm)+ 24.9<br />

(n = 72, r = 0.37. p< 0.005).<br />

We are now able to predict the hypoiheiical intake rale.<br />

assuming an optimal selection of ihe <strong>de</strong>pth classes by<br />

the Oystercatcher. The predicted intake rale for every<br />

possible selection level is presented in Fig. II. The<br />

margin of the grey field in litis figure connects the predicted<br />

maximal intake rales, <strong>and</strong> thus predicted <strong>de</strong>pth<br />

selection for the different prey <strong>de</strong>nsities. According to<br />

these predictions the Oystercatcher should lake all attainable<br />

prey for <strong>de</strong>nsities 6 m to 24 in • but ii should<br />

successively drop the <strong>de</strong>ep-lying prey from iis diet al<br />

higher prey <strong>de</strong>nsities. Only <strong>de</strong>plh class 0 cm should be<br />

laken from <strong>de</strong>nsity 350 cm : onwards.<br />

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />

maximum prey <strong>de</strong>pth accepted (cm)<br />

lig. 11. The opmn ii set of <strong>de</strong>pth classes predicted for al<br />

lilies offered. The dots arc solutions ol Eq (3i. The margin of the<br />

Held connects values of maximal intake rale for the dillerenl<br />

. 10 maximize iis intake rale, the Oysieicalchei<br />

should take all the <strong>de</strong>pth classes within the grey field <strong>and</strong> reject<br />

<strong>de</strong>eper lying prey.

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