Biotic potential / Intrinsic rate of natural increase (r) It is the inherent power of a population to grow and reproduce when environmental conditions are favorable, and resources are unlimited. 

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Territorial behavior

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Costs & benefits of territorial defense

Cost

Defending a territory requires time & energy and may, if aggressive defense is  needed, may pose some risk of injury.

Benefits‐

The improved access to resources represents  the 'benefit(s)' of territory defense.

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Optimum territory size when benefit is greater than cost

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Foraging Behavior - The Search for Food

Optimizing its foraging behavior

1. When the difference between the energetic benefits of food consumption  and the energetic costs of food gathering is maximized.

2. Animals with optimal foraging strategies will have more available energy with which to survive and reproduce.

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Group Living Has Advantages and Disadvantages

When animals live together in groups such as flocks or herds

Disadvantage- Group promote competition for food and increased transmission of parasites and other diseases.

Advantage - Benefits relate to group defense against predators through increased vigilance and through protection in numbers.

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Many eyes hypothesis‐ By living in groups, individuals may decrease the amount of time each spends scanning for predators and increase the time they have to feed.