Behavioral Ecology and Adaptive Behavior

Flashcards covering key concepts and terms related to behavioral ecology and the adaptive behavior of animals.

Behavioral Ecology

The study of the ecological and evolutionary basis of animal behavior.

Infanticide

The act of an adult animal killing the young of its own species, often observed in animal social groups.

Optimal Foraging Theory

The concept that animals maximize their energy gain per unit of time and minimize risk while finding food.

Marginal Value Theorem

An animal should stay in a food patch until the rate of energy gain declines to match the average rate for the entire habitat.

Natural Selection

The process by which traits that confer advantages for survival and reproduction become more common in successive generations.

Sexual Selection

The evolution of traits that enhance mating success, which can occur through direct benefits or indirect genetic benefits.

Parental Investment

The time and resources that parents allocate to raising their offspring, which can influence mating behaviors.

Ecological Factors

Environmental aspects that influence how animals interact and behave, including resource availability and predation risk.

Predator Swamping

A strategy where prey species live in large groups to reduce the chance of being targeted by predators.

Cost-Benefit Analysis in Behavior

The evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages of certain behaviors, such as living in groups or mating strategies.

Handicap hypothesis

males support costly and unwieldy ornaments, indication of vigorous individuals

Sexy Son hypothesis

Female receives indirect genetic benefits through her sons, attractive sons to females produce many grandchildren

Dilution effect

as the number of individuals in a group increases, the chance of being the one attacked by a predator decreases.

Flash effect

Respond to a predator by scattering in different directions, making it difficult for the predator to select a target.