Evaluating preference in laboratory studies of diet selection

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Abstract
The food habits of animals may be studied in the laboratory or in the field. Field studies describe diet selection of populations but do not permit analysis of the factors causing individual variation in the foraging behaviour of animals. Although numerous indices have been developed to compare use and availability of foods in field diets of animals, little attention has been given to laboratory approaches for comparing food choices. Tests of food choice must account for the order, consumption rate, and total amount of each food type eaten. Current measures fail to account for one or more of these parameters. This often results in highly ambiguous preference rankings, making comparisons among individuals or species difficult. To solve this problem, I propose using the area under the curve of the cumulative proportion eaten versus time for each food type. This index may be used to assess individual variation and determine the relative importance of each major component of the diet selection process in animals.