Modelling the many-wrongs principle: The navigational advantages of aggregation in nomadic foragers
Authored by PA Hancock, EJ Milner-Gulland, MJ Keeling
Date Published: 2006
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2005.09.019
Sponsors:
Leverhulme Trust
Platforms:
No platforms listed
Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Mathematical description
Model Code URLs:
Model code not found
Abstract
We develop a simple individual-based model to gain an understanding of
the drivers of aggregation behaviour in nomadic foragers. The model
incorporates two key elements influencing nomadic foragers in variable
environments: uncertainty regarding the location of food sources and
variability in the spatio-temporal distribution of ephemeral food
sources. A genetic algorithm is used to evolve parameters describing an
individual's movement and aggregation strategy. We apply the aggregation
model to a case study of the Bornean bearded pig (Sus barbatus). Bearded
pigs are ideal for considering the foraging advantages of aggregation, because they are highly mobile and exhibit a variety of aggregation
strategies, ranging from solitary and sedentary to mass aggregation and
wide ranging migration. Our model demonstrates the ``many-wrongs
principle{''}, and shows that environmental variability, uncertainty in
the location of food sources, and local population density drive
aggregation behaviour. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Tags
Competition
Individual-based model
behavior
Dynamics
Heterogeneity
habitat
perspective
Conspecific attraction