Journal article
An effective algorithm for approximating adaptive behavior in seasonal environments
National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark1
Centre for Ocean Life, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark2
Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark3
Section for Marine Living Resources, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark4
Section for Marine Ecology and Oceanography, National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark5
University of Bergen6
Behavior affects most aspects of ecological processes and rates, and yet modeling frameworks which efficiently predict and incorporate behavioral responses into ecosystem models remain elusive. Behavioral algorithms based on life-time optimization, adaptive dynamics or game theory are unsuited for large global models because of their high computational demand.
We compare an easily integrated, computationally efficient behavioral algorithm known as Gilliam's rule against the solution from a life-history optimization. The approximation takes into account only the current conditions to optimize behavior; the so-called "myopic approximation", "short sighted", or "static optimization".
We explore the performance of the myopic approximation with diel vertical migration (DVM) as an example of a daily routine, a behavior with seasonal dependence that trades off predation risk with foraging opportunities in aquatic environments. The myopic approximation proves to be a robust replacement for the life-history optimization, deviating only up to 25% in regions of strong seasonality.
The myopic approximation has additional advantages in that it can readily accommodate density dependence and inter-annual variations, aspects that can only be accessed in dynamic programming approaches with escalating computational costs. Furthermore, the explanatory power of the myopic approximation is notably higher than when behavior is not implemented, highlighting the importance for adaptive DVM behavior in ecological models where techniques such as dynamic programming are simply too computational demanding to be implemented.
Language: | English |
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Year: | 2015 |
Pages: | 20-30 |
ISSN: | 03043800 and 18727026 |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2015.04.016 |
ORCIDs: | 0000-0002-5073-5633 , Andersen, Ken Haste , Thygesen, Uffe Høgsbro and Visser, André W. |