Evol Ecol Res 8: 765-783 (2006)     Full PDF if your library subscribes.

Resource partitioning among flower visitors: extensions of Possingham’s model

Miguel A. Rodríguez-Gironés*

Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, General Segura 1, 04001 Almeria, Spain

rgirones@eeza.csic.es

ABSTRACT

Question: How robust is Possingham’s (1992) result that, when two nectarivore species compete for the nectar produced by two flower types, optimal foraging leads to resource partitioning?

Mathematical methods: Game theory. Each individual strives to maximize its own pay-off.

Key assumptions: Any number of nectarivore species and flower types, with like-flowers aggregated in patches. Nectar need not accumulate at a constant rate. Energy expenditure differs between flight and flower exploitation. Exploitation time increases with the amount of nectar in flowers. Pay-off can be the expected long-term net rate of energy intake, the foraging efficiency (net energy intake divided by energy expended), or the expected short-term net rate of energy intake.

Predictions: Two nectarivorous species may simultaneously exploit both flower types. This result, however, is extremely rare: the vast majority of parameter values lead to resource partitioning despite the removal of Possingham’s simplifying assumptions.

Keywords: exploitation competition, floral nectar, habitat selection, ideal free distribution, optimal foraging.

DOWNLOAD A FREE, FULL PDF COPY
IF you are connected using the IP of a subscribing institution (library, laboratory, etc.)
or through its VPN.

 

        © 2006 Miguel A. Rodríguez-Gironés. All EER articles are copyrighted by their authors. All authors endorse, permit and license Evolutionary Ecology Ltd. to grant its subscribing institutions/libraries the copying privileges specified below without additional consideration or payment to them or to Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. These endorsements, in writing, are on file in the office of Evolutionary Ecology, Ltd. Consult authors for permission to use any portion of their work in derivative works, compilations or to distribute their work in any commercial manner.

       Subscribing institutions/libraries may grant individuals the privilege of making a single copy of an EER article for non-commercial educational or non-commercial research purposes. Subscribing institutions/libraries may also use articles for non-commercial educational purposes by making any number of copies for course packs or course reserve collections. Subscribing institutions/libraries may also loan single copies of articles to non-commercial libraries for educational purposes.

       All copies of abstracts and articles must preserve their copyright notice without modification.