Key Terms in Primate Social Behavior and Ecology

social organization

The arrangement of individuals within a group that influences their interactions and relationships.

social structure

The complex pattern of relationships and roles within a social group.

foraging strategies

The methods and behaviors used by animals to find and obtain food.

socioecology

The study of how social structure and behavior are influenced by ecological factors.

behavioral ecology

The study of the evolutionary basis for animal behavior due to ecological pressures.

philopatry

The tendency of an animal to remain in or return to its birthplace.

expensive tissue hypothesis

The idea that the evolution of larger brains in primates is linked to a reduction in the size of other energy-demanding organs.

Kleiber's law

The principle that metabolic rate scales to the 3/4 power of the organism's mass.