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Prey or host searching behavior that leads to a sigmoid functional response in invertebrate predators and parasitoids
Author(s) -
Luck Robert F.,
Lenteren Joop C.,
Twine Peter H.,
Juenen Lodewyk,
Unruh Thomas
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
population ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1438-390X
pISSN - 1438-3896
DOI - 10.1007/bf02512631
Subject(s) - functional response , predation , biology , host (biology) , predator , insect , invertebrate , ecology , optimal foraging theory , larva , limiting , parasitoid , zoology , mechanical engineering , engineering
Summary Invertebrate predators and parasitoids have long been characterized as having a hyperbolic (Type 2) functional response. Modifications were made to Holling's sand paper disc experiment which consisted of limiting the initial period of search during which a host must be contacted. Failure to contact a host during this initial period causes the predator to emigrate from the search area. The modification generated a sigmoid (Type 3) functional response. This response resulted from the low probability of encountering a host during the initial period of search at low host densities in the time allotted. A limited period of search has been found in several insect parasitoids. Such a strategy would minimize the time (energy) spent per offspring produced by minimizing the time invested in searching microhabitats in which hosts are scarce or absent.