According to the Rate Maximization Model the finder’s advantage is an environmental factor modulating social foraging strategies. One factor that can influence the finder’s advantage is the patches’ setup. We analyzed the strategies of Wistar rats foraging in groups n = 4 in a 4 × 3 array of deposits where only four of them were baited (patches) with different configurations on each trial. Specifically, the goal was to assess whether the finder’s advantage varied according to the distribution (Square vs. Zig-zag) and distance (Small vs. Large) between patches. Foraging responses were classified as production (seeking for food) or scrounging (tracking conspecifics) to calculate the frequency of use of each strategy in each group and estimate the induced finder’s advantage in each situation. In patch-setups with short distances, production was more common and the finder’s advantage higher. Results can be explained by the combined effect of a local enhancing and simultaneous patch exploitation on small setups.

根据速率最大化模型，发现者的优势是调节社会觅食策略的环境因素。影响发现者优势的一个因素是补丁的设置。我们分析了 Wistar 大鼠在 n = 4 组的 4 × 3 沉积物阵列中觅食的策略，其中在每次试验中只有 4 只被不同配置的诱饵（补丁）。具体来说，目标是评估发现者的优势是否根据补丁之间的分布（方形与之字形）和距离（小与大）而变化。觅食反应被分类为生产（寻找食物）或搜寻（追踪同种）以计算每组中每种策略的使用频率并估计每种情况下诱导发现者的优势。在短距离的补丁设置中，生产更普遍，发现者的优势更高。结果可以通过局部增强和同时补丁开发对小型设置的综合影响来解释。