UCM GenBioII Final - Animal Behavior

Ethology

study of animal behavior

genetic influence

behavior hardwired into genes

physiological mechanisms

hormones or neuronal mechanisms influence behavior

developmental influence

• imprinting

• learning

innate behaviors

performed without thought, cannot be modified by learning

reflex actions

involuntary and rapid response to a stimulus (innate behavior)

kinesis / taxis

movement away from heat, or towards light (innate behavior)

fixed action patterns

predictable series of actions triggered by a cue one triggered it goes to completion (innate behavior)

ex) egg retrieval in geese

learning

modification of behavior through experience

• can be simple of complex

habituation

when an animal stops responding to a stimulus after repeated exposure (learned behavior)

ex) crows with scarecrows

imprinting

highly specific type of learning, occurs at a particular age or life stage aka critical period (learned behavior)

associative learning

conditioned behaviors that have a positive or negative association between a stimulus and a response

classical conditioning

response to one stimulus becomes associated with a second unrelated stimulus

operant conditioning

an animal’s behavior is reinforced by a consequence either a reward of a punishment

recipient benefits, actor benefits

cooperative

recipient benefits, actor is harmed

altruistic

recipient is harmed, actor benefits

selfish

recipient is harmed, actor is harmed

spiteful

sexual selection if often working against _______

natural selection

• when traits increase reproductive success, they can be selected for even if they reduce survival

  ex) mating with a colorful lizard instead of the camouflage lizard results in offspring with a lower chance of survival due to their bright colors

reproductive success in the HEAVILY investing sex is limited by _________

time and energy

reproductive success is the LIGHTLY investing sex in limited by _________

number of mates

members of the sex subject to strong selection will be competitive

intrasexual selection

members of the sex subject to weak selection will be choosy

intersexual selection (female choice)

intersexual selection benefits

• females can acquire resources from male

• male display as an indicator of genetic quality

• choosy females have offspring with higher fitness

  • good genes hypothesis