Figure 4.

Total mortality estimates (M_tot) derived from Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations at various levels of body fatness. Points are the means of 10,000 iterated calculations drawing values of the fixed parameters in the equation for M_tot from simulated distributions. Error bars show the MC standard error, which, in some cases, was smaller than the dimensions of the points. The mortality shows a curve with a flat bottom (grey points) where the mortality differs by less than 1% from the mortality observed at the fitted optimum. This defines a zone where mortality is independent to fatness.