Optimal-foraging theory

{
  "id": "MLC-T-CHM-008288",
  "term": "Optimal-foraging theory",
  "field": "Chemistry",
  "definition": "A model that predicts how an animal forages to maximize its net energy intake per unit time, balancing the energy gained from food with the energy expended and risks incurred while searching for and handling it. The theory assumes that natural selection has favored foraging behaviors that are most efficient. In ecotoxicology, this framework is used to assess how contaminants that alter an organism's sensory, metabolic, or motor functions affect its ability to forage efficiently.",
  "subject": "Chemistry and Human Health",
  "references": [
    "PAC, 2009, 81, 829. 'Glossary of terms used in ecotoxicology (IUPAC Recommendations 2009)' on page 922 (https://doi.org/10.1351/PAC-REC-08-07-09)"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/chemistry/optimal-foraging-theory/"
}