Foraging

Native Americans, who migrated from Asia roughly 30,000 years ago when the West was going through vast climatic changes due to the Ice Age. The Indians developed new methods of finding food such as hunting in the north, fishing near bodies of water, foraging in the deserts, and hunting and gathering in the forests. The Native Americans utilized the technology of stone to make spears, arrows, and farming tools to plant or hunt food. However, their use of stone was very limited which would later…

to invade the US state. In Florida, there are currently 19 invasive ant species, which often thrive in warm weather and human activity such as the said state. The little yellow ant (Plagiolepis alluaudi) is an invasive, highly-reproductive, and foraging experts. At less than 2 millimeters, these species can go unnoticed until it reaches immeasurable numbers. The said ant species were discovered after a Fort Lauderdale home was infested with these insects. This was documented by Thomas Chouvenc…

Squirrels, likewise to humans and non-human animals, adjust their behaviors in accordance to seasonal changes. One key behavior that has been shown to vary by season is squirrel foraging behavior. It is important to understand this relationship in order to promote the well-being of squirrels by ensuring their ability to acquire energy-rich food year round. In a study conducted by researchers Everts, Strijkstra, Hut, Hoffmann, and Millesi (2004), it was shown that aboveground activity level…

throughout the Antarctic and some parts north of that combined with their diversified eating habits places them highly in marine mammals as a potential species to survive environmental changes. This essay connects an understanding of the population and foraging ecology of Hydrurga leptonyx with their future existence in relation to climate change. Currently, leopard seals are stated as a least concern in the Red List category, however the daunting effects of climate change may expedite a shift…

2016 2 Pigs were one of the first animals domesticated about 6,000 years ago in China (Bradford, 2015). The domestic pig is not native to North America, it is believed that Christopher Columbus brought them over with him on his second voyage to America in 1493. The wild pigs that became domesticated originate from Europe, Asia, and North African forests where they are still wild (Pig, 2016). Pigs can now be found anywhere in the world except Antarctica. Despite years of attempting to truly…

The way that children are raised differs in many ways from one society to another. Parental responsiveness to infants, parent-child play, and parental acceptance are a few of the ways that child-rearing can differ in each culture. In the United States and other western countries, infants spend a lot of time on their own in a crib, playpen, or stroller. Dao babies from Yunnan Province in China spend much time in physical contact with their mother or another caretaker. This difference in the…

humpback and fin whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada) moved their migration arrival time up roughly one month earlier over 27 years, correlating with changes in sea surface temperature (SST; a proxy for primary productivity) and sea ice. Once on foraging grounds, whales may stay longer. Hauser et al. (2016) found that Chukchi beluga whale had significantly delayed migrations (2-4 weeks) from the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas over 19 years, as regional sea ice freeze-up timing became later in…

and reproduction. Fruit flies (Drosophila Melanogaster) represent a model organism for observing and analyzing behaviours related to gathering nutrients due the isolation and simplicity of the gene that causes them. D. Melanogaster exhibit distinct foraging behaviours determined primarily by the type of their for gene (LM 8). The for gene has only two variations. These variations…

opposed to forage, as they are likely to encounter the largest population densities, and thus be more affective. Additionally, researchers found that feral cats strongly tended towards nocturnal behavior in terms of navigating their surroundings and foraging, as opposed to domestic cats who were more affected by their owners’ schedules and tended towards higher activity levels in the morning than in the evening. For a population control strategy to be affective, it follows that efforts should be…

Biologists estimate a manatee’s 3000 or so tactile body hairs help the animals navigate through shallow, murky waters, and even detect movement and vibrations. They use their additional 2000 bristly face whiskers to feel out and even grasp foods while foraging. The right and left sides of their upper lip are prehensile -- like the tip of an elephant’s trunk [pic: Jenny Downing] -- and can move independently of one another to manipulate food. Manatees’ tendency to stay in shallow waters near…