Crows break the shells of certain molluscs before eating them by dropping them onto rocks. Hypothesizing that crows drop the molluscs from a height that gives the most food for the least effort (optimal foraging), a researcher dropped shells from different heights and counted the drops it took to break them. a. The researcher measured the average drop height for crows and found that it was 5.23 m. Does this support the researcher's hypothesis? Explain. b. Describe an experiment to determine whether dropping molluscs from an optimal height is learned or innate.

Question

Crows break the shells of certain molluscs before eating them by dropping them onto rocks. Hypothesizing that crows drop the molluscs from a height that gives the most food for the least effort (optimal foraging), a researcher dropped shells from different heights and counted the drops it took to break them. a. The researcher measured the average drop height for crows and found that it was 5.23 m. Does this support the researcher's hypothesis? Explain. b. Describe an experiment to determine whether dropping molluscs from an optimal height is learned or innate.

Table showing drop heights and average drops needed for crows to break mollusc shells.

Accepted Answer

Hi everyone. Here's the next question, identify which of the following statements about the optimal foraging model is incorrect. So remembering that we're looking for an incorrect statement. Um Well just recall briefly the definition of the optimal foraging model, it says that natural selection favors foraging behavior that minimizes costs and maximizes benefits. So it's a risk reward balance between energy expenditure and foraging versus energy gained from expanded access to food. So with that in mind let's look at our answer choices. Choice A says it predicts how an animal behaves while searching for food. Well this is a correct statement, a true statement. Um because we're looking at how far will they go, how much time will they spend, that sort of thing? So um looking at that optimal foraging model, knowing that they need to minimize costs and maximize benefits will be able to predict um an animal foraging a specific animal foraging behavior so that is a correct statement and therefore not our answer. Um We noticed that Choice D says all of the above statements are incorrect but we've already got one correct statement. So Choice D. Can be eliminated as well. Choice B says to maximize fitness. Animals engage in foraging behaviors that maximize costs while maximizing benefits. Well this is false because the optimal foraging model says they want to minimize costs while maximizing benefits. So this is our incorrect answer. Choice B I like that. And then finally we'll look at Choice C, which says it AIDS in predicting the best strategy and animal can use to maximize net energy gain and this is true since they want to have that balance to get the best net energy gain energy gained minus energy Expended so choice see also a correct statement and therefore not an answer. So identify which of the following statements about optimal foraging behavior is model is incorrect. Choice be to maximize fitness. Animals engage in foraging behaviors that maximize costs while maximizing benefits. See you in the next video.

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Key Concepts

Optimal Foraging Theory

Innate vs. Learned Behavior

Experimental Design