
Advanced Ecology Symposium
A Guide to Giving Up Density Methods in Field Research
Abstract/Description
Giving up density (GUD) is a metric used to determine behavior in foraging animals and can be useful in measuring how risky a foraging patch is. By using an artificial container, and then filling the container with a substrate (i.e., sand, wood shavings, etc.) and a known quantity of food, researchers can then determine how risky/not risky a foraging animal perceives that area by counting the remaining food quantity that is left after a foraging event. A high giving up density is indicative of a risky foraging patch so a large quantity of food will be left, while a low giving up density shows that a foraging animal perceived less risk at a foraging patch. The aim of this project is to collate previous literature on giving up density research and methods with mammals and integrate them into a singular manuscript that will act as a toolbox for subsequent researchers. Information collected included taxonomy (e.g., order, family, and species name if applicable), how the study species were identified and observed, sample size, information regarding the foraging station design (i.e., materials, dimensions, how many, substrate type and amount, food type and amount, etc.), the duration of each study, predation risk metrics, and the purpose of the study. Given the large number of studies that have been completed on mammal GUDs, this review will be a valuable resource to the predation risk research community.
A Guide to Giving Up Density Methods in Field Research
Giving up density (GUD) is a metric used to determine behavior in foraging animals and can be useful in measuring how risky a foraging patch is. By using an artificial container, and then filling the container with a substrate (i.e., sand, wood shavings, etc.) and a known quantity of food, researchers can then determine how risky/not risky a foraging animal perceives that area by counting the remaining food quantity that is left after a foraging event. A high giving up density is indicative of a risky foraging patch so a large quantity of food will be left, while a low giving up density shows that a foraging animal perceived less risk at a foraging patch. The aim of this project is to collate previous literature on giving up density research and methods with mammals and integrate them into a singular manuscript that will act as a toolbox for subsequent researchers. Information collected included taxonomy (e.g., order, family, and species name if applicable), how the study species were identified and observed, sample size, information regarding the foraging station design (i.e., materials, dimensions, how many, substrate type and amount, food type and amount, etc.), the duration of each study, predation risk metrics, and the purpose of the study. Given the large number of studies that have been completed on mammal GUDs, this review will be a valuable resource to the predation risk research community.