Combining Experimental and Theoretical Evidence to Understand Predator Learning Behaviour with Unfamiliar Prey
Public Deposited- Resource Type
- Creator
- Abstract
Predators confronted with an unfamiliar prey must decide whether or not to attack it. This decision is dependent on the predator's previous experiences with the prey type. In this thesis, I tested the ability of Jamaican field crickets,Gryllus assimilis, to learn a novel binary food choice between a rewarding and unrewarding prey using visual cues. Evidence of learning was confirmed across trials. Moreover, the colour of the prey significantly affected the probability of crickets choosing the palatable option, with green prey more likely to be attacked than blue prey. I then developed a model that formalized prey selection in terms of an exploration-exploitation trade-off. Here, I identified the optimal sampling strategy for a predator with Bayesian learning. I demonstrate that a predator's prior beliefs (Bayesian priors), and the certainty it has in its beliefs affect the optimal sampling strategy, and hence the nature of selection it places on prey.
- Subject
- Language
- Publisher
- Thesis Degree Level
- Thesis Degree Name
- Thesis Degree Discipline
- Identifier
- Rights Notes
Copyright © 2019 the author(s). Theses may be used for non-commercial research, educational, or related academic purposes only. Such uses include personal study, research, scholarship, and teaching. Theses may only be shared by linking to Carleton University Institutional Repository and no part may be used without proper attribution to the author. No part may be used for commercial purposes directly or indirectly via a for-profit platform; no adaptation or derivative works are permitted without consent from the copyright owner.
- Date Created
- 2019
Relations
- In Collection:
Items
Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Visibility | Actions |
---|---|---|---|---|
efford-combiningexperimentalandtheoreticalevidence_r.pdf | 2023-05-05 | Public | Download |