Lecture 6 - Diet & Predation

Question 1

5 reasons predation is importance

Answer 1

ecology, evolution, agriculture, conservation, biodiversity

Question 2

what is batesian mimicry

Answer 2

edible animal mimics harmful model, coevolution

Question 3

what is mullerian mimicry

Answer 3

2 unpalatable/harmful animals mimic each other, parallel development

Question 4

optimal foraging model - objective, currency, constraint?

Answer 4

objective = maximise profitability 
currency= profitability (time/energy)
constraint = search time and handling

Question 5

what is the contingency model of foraging

Answer 5

choose most profitable, ignoring search costs, non random food selection

Question 6

what are the dynamics of predation

Answer 6

prey growth function
prey death function = predator growth function
predator death

Question 7

what is the functional response

Answer 7

how predator consumption varies with prey density

Question 8

type 1 functional response

Answer 8

constant mortality rate

eat 10% all the time

Question 9

type 2 functional response

Answer 9

mortality decreases as density increases

Question 10

type 3 functional response

Answer 10

mortality increases then decreases with density

Question 11

what does keystone predation do to diversity

Answer 11

increases

Question 12

what does generalist predation do to diversity

Answer 12

decreases

Question 13

does predation always effect diversity

Answer 13

can alter rank abundance but not diversity