oft

adv. often (Poetry)

A central concern of ecology has traditionally been foraging behavior. In its most basic form, optimal foraging theory states that organisms forage in such a way as to maximize their energy intake per unit time. In other words, they behave in such a way as to find, capture and consume food containing the most calories while expending the least amount of time possible in doing so. The understanding of many ecological concepts such as adaptation, energy flow and competition hinges on the ability to comprehend what, and why, animals select certain food items.
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Adverb
1. many times at short intervals; "we often met over a cup of coffee"
(synonym) frequently, often, oftentimes, ofttimes

adv. oft, often, frequently, oftentimes, in many cases, many a time, on many occasions

(adv.)
Often; frequently; not rarely; many times.
  

(a.)
Frequent; often; repeated.