Optimality Constraints and Hierarchies in the Analysis of Foraging Strategies

Abstract: This thesis covers both a theoretical analysis of optimal foraging theory and empirical studies of antlion foraging behavior from the perspective of the costs and benefits of foraging. Foraging behavior covers different hierarchical time scales and the time scales will in turn influence how we think about the functionality of these behaviors. Chapters include an analysis of the biophysics of antlion pits (here focusing of the functional aspects of a tool antlions use to capture prey), an optimality approach to partial prey consumption by antlions, and a more general approach to foraging under time constraints using dynamic programming models. Dissertation Discovery Company and University of Florida are dedicated to making scholarly works more discoverable and accessible throughout the world. This dissertation, "Optimality Constraints and Hierarchies in the Analysis of Foraging Strategies" by Jeffrey Robert Lucas, was obtained from University of Florida and is being sold with permission from the author. A digital copy of this work may also be found in the university's institutional repository, IR@UF. The content of this dissertation has not been altered in any way. We have altered the formatting in order to facilitate the ease of printing and reading of the dissertation.