Energy Resource Landscapes

Our work on Optimal Movement Theory aims to build a general framework for understanding how animals make movement decisions when multiple forms of energy and uncertainty must be considered together. Rather than treating movement only through food search, habitat choice, or locomotion costs in isolation, this work asks how animals decide where and when to move when chemical, mechanical and environmental energies all shape the outcome. At its core is the idea that movement is a decision problem: individuals must act on incomplete information, weigh expected gains against costs, and update their behaviour as new information becomes available.

What began as a conceptual framework is now becoming an empirical research programme. Our current work uses simulations, agent-based models and real movement data to parameterise the theory, initially in systems where dependence on environmental energy is especially strong. Looking ahead, we will test how well these models predict movement decisions in natural systems, and extend the framework from individual decision-making to collective movement. The broader goal is to develop a predictive theory of movement that links behaviour, energetics and uncertainty across species and environments.