Evolution of Animal Behavior: Chapter 1

‘Dead Man Test’ coined by …

Dr. Ogman Lindsay

DMT states that if a dead man can do it, then it isn’t …

behavior

behavior is:

internally coordinated responses of WHOLE living organisms to internal/external stimulus

evolution is:

inherited changes over time

what do genes do?

encode behavior

neutral changes (mutations) in DNA have:

no impact on individual

advantageous changes (mutations) in DNA :

gives individual an advantage

deleterious changes (mutations) in DNA

negatively affects individuals

natural selection:

differential survival and reproduction of individuals with advantageous traits that contribute disproportionally to the makeup of offspring to the next generation

differential survival means that …

survival is unequal since the environment is unpredictable

species:

individuals that have the potential to interbreed AND produce live, fertile young

population:

all individuals of a species living in the same area at the same time; where evolution occurs

fitness

contribution an individual member of a population makes towards the next generation relative to other individuals in the same population

have offspring that have viable offspring

fitness is often also called:

reproductive success

reproductive success:

passing on genes to the next generation in a way that they (next gen) can pass on their genes

disproportionality:

unequal & not all can reproduce

If there are few females in the spongocoel, the alpha will …

find it easier to detect the beta and kick the beta out, lowering the RS of the beta

gamma males have higher RS when …

there are many females, since alphas will be preoccupied

Great tit are …

song birds

Great tit’s have personality variations which include …

bold and shy

a bold Great tit has …

short latency (quick exploratory nature) to novel object

a shy Great tit has …

long latency (slow exploratory response) to novel object

the bold cost of the Great tit is …

they are susceptible to predator 

the bold benefit of the Great tit is …

they are more likely to get to the food first

the shy cost of the Great tit is …

they are more likely to lose food

the shy benefit of the Great tit is …

they are generally safer

the Great tit personality variation is an example of …

genetic variation within species 

through the Great tit lab experiment, they found that if they were bold in the field they would be ….

bold in the lab as well

through the Great tit lab experiment, they found that if they were shy in the field they would be ….

shy in the lab as well

birds use nicotine in order to …

get rid of parasitic mites

in the nicotine-bird experiment, researchers …

coated bottom of nest with cellulose to see how many mites fell down

the nicotine-bird experiment involved birds getting unsmoked and smoked cigarettes, to which they found …

more parasitic mites fell down with the smoked cigarette since there is more nicotine

alpha male isopod have the …

highest reproductive success 

alpha male isopod characteristics:

largest isopod, have horns, occupy and defends spongeocoel, attacks other males, has a harem of females inside spongeocoel

beta male ispod characteristics:

smaller than alpha, does not occupy/defend spongocoel, looks like a female, sneaks in to spongocoel unnoticed

beta male isopods have lower …

R.S than alpha, but not 0

gamma male isopod characteristics:

the smallest isopod

the ‘Predatory Caterpillar’ sticks …

bones of deceased animals on their body as they move in order to conceal themselves