The concept of a patch is widely used in ecology, but patches are often viewed in a simplistic way. The internal structure of patches and the mosaic surrounding patches are influenced by patchiness at smaller and larger scales. Thus, environments may be viewed more realistically as mosaics formed by a nested hierarchy of patches. This hierarchical concept of patchiness may be examined by studying nectarivorous birds, because nectar resources are often distributed in a hierarchical fashion. How both patch structure and context in natural and experimental hierarchies of patches influence the foraging behavior of broad-tailed hummingbirds (Selasphorus platycercus) will be investigated. The hierarchical structure of patchiness in the natural distribution of nectar resources will be measured. The experimental hierarchy consists of three levels of heterogeneity: (1) within inflorescences (2) within patches, and (3) between patches. The influence of hierarchical resource- mosaics on foraging behavior could influence population-level processes such as pollination and territorial behavior. Thus, the proposed study will increase the understanding of the ecological consequences of landscape heterogeneity.
