Foraging

All animals need to eat, but how they do it various widely across the animal kingdom. To understand the general rules underlying the trophic ecology of animals we use two model systems, scavenging and venom.

Scavenging

Scavenging is a significance source of nutrition for many large endangered predators and an important component of a “health” ecosystem. It is also a useful model of foraging due to its the relatively simple nature. As part of a previous Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Independent Fellowship, I have used agent-based modelling approaches to simulate scavenging environments. This approach allows us to test the optimal energetics relating to scavengers with different physiologies operating in different environments. For example, we have previously used this approach to show that T rex would have been a poor scavenger, with theropods between 600kg-1000kg being far more efficient scavengers. Our aim is to apply this approach to identify general rules of scavenging and to explore how scavenging efficiency may change in various habitats facing various anthropogenic threats.

Venom potency

Predator prey interactions are a central trophic link to virtual all ecosystems. However, it is often difficult to quantify the multifaceted nature of predatory traits which makes comparative approaches difficult. Venom offers an excellent model system of predator traits as its ability to kill prey can be quantified. Using this system, we have previously shown that snake venom potency is general evolved to be prey specific. This system is the ideal for testing the drivers of generalism and specialism in predators.