Unit 8: Topic 1 - Responses to the Environment

behavioral ecology

the study of how behaviors arise due to ecology and evolution

behavior

* an animal’s response to a stimulus (internal or external)
* nature vs nurture (genetic and environmental factors)
* allow for survival and reproduction
* subject to natural selection

proximate cause

* **how** a behavior occurs or how it is modified
* What was the stimulus to cause the behavior?
* How does the “nurture” component affect behavior (i.e. how do the experiences during growth and development influence the response)?

ultimate cause

* **why** a behavior occurs (in context of natural selection)
* how does the behavior help the animal survive and reproduce?
* how does the “nature” component affect behavior (i.e. what is the evolutionary basis of the behavior)?

innate behaviors

* developmentally fixed
* hereditary, born behaviors, do not need to learn them
* experience during growth has **no** obvious effect

learned behaviors

* depend on environmental influence
* experiences DO affect these behaviors
* high variation in a population

fixed action patterns (FAPS)

* INNATE BEHAVIOR
* a sequence of unlearned acts directly linked to a stimulus
* actions are **unchangeable**
* carried out to completion
* triggered by a __sign stimulus__ (external cue)
* ex: stickleback fish

migration

* INNATE BEHAVIOR
* a regular, long-distance change in location
* triggered by environmental cues
* sun’s position
* earth’s magnetic field
* celestial cues

signal

* INNATE BEHAVIORS
* a stimulus generated and transmitted from one animal to another; animal communication
* ex: visual, auditory, tactile, electrical, chemical
* pheromones
* chemicals emitted by members of a species that can affect other members of the same species
* stimulus response chains
* when a response to a stimulus serves as the next stimulus for a behavior
* seen in animal courtships
* body movement
* ex: waggle dance in bees

directed movements

* INNATE BEHAVIOR
* movements towards or away from a stimulus
* kinesis
* taxis

kinesis

* INNATE BEHAVIORS → DIRECTED MOVEMENTS
* random movement in response to a stimulus; non directional

taxis

* INNATE BEHAVIOR → DIRECTED MOVEMENTS
* directional movement towards (positive) or away from (negative) a stimulus
* **phototaxis:** movement in response to light
* **chemotaxis:** movement in response to chemical signals
* **geotaxis:** movement in response to gravity

learning

* LEARNED BEHAVIORS
* the modification of behavior based on specific experiences

imprinting

* LEARNED BEHAVIORS
* a long-lasting behavioral response to an individual
* happens during a sensitive period of development (usually very early in life)
* imprinting occurs on the first individual they encounter
* ex: ducks following their mother

spatial learning

* LEARNED BEHAVIORS
* establishing memories based upon the spatial structure of the animal’s surroundings
* some animals from a **cognitive map** or use landmarks as environmental cues
* example: birds finding their hidden nests

associative learning

* LEARNED BEHAVIORS
* the ability to associate one environmental feature with another
* example: associating monarch butterflies with a foul taste

social learning

* LEARNED BEHAVIORS
* learned through observations and imitations of the observed behaviors
* ex: chimps breaking open oil palm nuts

foraging

* food obtaining behavior
* searching for, recognizing, and capturing food items
* animals better at ___________ will be more successful in finding food

mating behaviors

* animals can be monogamous or polygamous (polygyny or polyandry)
* sexual dimorphism can results from sexual selection

altruism

* selfless behavior
* reduces the individual’s fitness, but increases the fitness of the rest of the population
* ex: naked mole rat colonies have only one reproducing female (queen), who will only mate with a few males (kings). the other nonproductive members will sacrifice themselves to protect their queen and kings

phototropism

* a directional response that allows plants to grow towards (and in some cases away from) a source of light

photoperiodism

* allows plants to develop in response to day length; plants flower only at certain times of the year

plant defenses

* physical defenses
* thorns, trichomes (small plant like hairs)
* chemical defenses
* production of toxic or distasteful compounds

soil composition

* can affect plants
* the pH of soil can affect flower coloring in some plants
* nutrients are more accessible at certain pH
* ex: hydrangea blooms turn different colors based upon soil pH