Movement of foraging tundra swans explained by spatial pattern in cryptic food densities

• Main Authors: Klaassen, R.H.G., Nolet, B.A., Bankert, D.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: bayesian foragers; bewicks swans; correlated random-walk; depression; energy gain; field; heterogeneity; information; patchy environment; searching behavior; Tundra
• Online Access: https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/movement-of-foraging-tundra-swans-explained-by-spatial-pattern-in; https://doi.org/10.1890/0012-9658(2006)87[2244:MOFTSE]2.0.CO;2

We tested whether Tundra Swans use information on the spatial distribution of cryptic food items (belowground Sago pondweed tubers) to shape their movement paths. In a continuous environment, swans create their own food patches by digging craters, which they exploit in several feeding bouts. Series of short (1 m). Tuber biomass densities showed a positive spatial auto-correlation at a short distance (25 g/m2) and to a more distant patch (at 7¿8 m) if the food density in the current patch had been low (3 m) from a low-density patch and a short distance (