Foraging and Social Behaviour of Ungulates: Proposals for a Mathematical Model

One of the topics more deeply discussed by the modern theories on the social evolution of ungulates is the role of the ecological constraints (Eisenberg, Lockart, 1972; Estes, 1974; Jarman, 1974; Jarman, Jarman, 1979). Moreover, Geist (1974) has included in the theory the effects that social behaviour and ecology of ungulates have on the population dynamics and on the inclusive fitness of individuals. These theoretical papers select the ecological parameters which more deeply influence the social evolution of ungulates. They are the degree of selectivity of the food resources and the spatial distribution pattern of the food items.