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Food-Acquisition Systems

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Wildlife Behavior and Conservation

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Abstract

All organisms are tied together in a number of ways, with energy acquisition being paramount. Some organisms are meat-eaters, or carnivores, that feed on plant-eaters, or herbivores. Most species, however, are omnivores, feeding on both animals and plants. Of the many foods available to a given animal, which are selected and which are not? Decisions may vary and be related to food availability, ease of capture, or nutritive value. Except when young (Yahner 1978c), an animal cannot spend considerable time sampling food; there are limits in time and energy involved with food capture, handling, and ingesting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Richard H. Yahner

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  1. Richard H. Yahner
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Yahner, R.H. (2012). Food-Acquisition Systems. In: Wildlife Behavior and Conservation. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1518-3_6

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