Animal Behavior Exam 1

Tinbergen’s 4 Questions

Function

Phylogeny 

Ontogeny

Mechanism

Instinct

innate fixed pattern of behavior

Instraspecific variation

variation among individuals of the same species

Reaction Norms

Polygenic

Several genes, one effect

Pleiotropic 

one gene, several effects. 

Broad sense heritability H²

Measure of degree of heritable genetic variance in a population.

Broad sense heritability equation 

H2 = Vg (genotypic variance)/VT (total phenotypic variance) where VT = VG + VE (variance due to environment)

Narrow sense heritability

Measure of the response of a particular trait to selection.

Narrow sense heritability equation

R/S, R = difference between mean of offspring of selected parents and mean of overall population, S = difference between mean of selected parents and mean of population

Common Garden Experiment

Put different phenotypes into the same environment and see if differences disappear.

Knockout Gene type Studies

Produce mutants that are homozygous for hidden gene

Gene transfer

Use molecular techniques to insert gene into DNA of another species.

Genome-wide association studies

correlational study using whole genome databases

Epigenetics

experience and the environment can alter gene expression w/out altering DNA code.

Proximate gene expression control

proteins bind to promotor regions, encourage or discourge RNA polymerase binding

Epigenetics — DNA Methylation via DNMTs, downplays transcription genes

Hormone

signaling molecule secreted in one part of body that causes change in other part of body

Endocrine gland 

ductless gland that secretes molecules into space between molecules, then bloodstream

Peptide hormones

amino acid chains that bind to receptors on cell surfaces because they are water soluble and can’t cross the cell membrane

Steroid hormones

secreted mainly by gonads and adrenal glands, fat soluble so they can cross cell membrane.

Axis of Hormonal Control

Hypothalamus → hypophysis (pituitary gland) → targets in body

Stress pathway

stressor triggers brain to release corticotrophin-releasing hormone and arginine vasopressin → bloodstream → pituitary gland produces adrenocorticotrophin hormone → adrenal gland produces cortisol.

LH and FSH

reproduction, secondary sex characteristics

adrenocorticotrophin hormone

stress, digestion, circadian rhythm.

Prolactin

brooding behavior, milk production, amphibian metamorphosis, fish migration

Melatonin

pigmentation, biological rhythmicity

Hamilton-Zuc hypothesis

females prefer brightly colored males because they have fewer parasites

Immunocompetence Handicap Hypothesis

Even though secondary sex characteristics may be linked with weaker immune systems, males with fewer deleterious alleles can handle this tradeoff and develop stronger secondary sex characteristics

Factors that influence Behavioral Development

nervous system, hormonal development, changes in non-neural morphology, changes in environment

Learning

relatively permanent change in behavior as result of experience

Habituation vs Sensitization

animal becomes less sensitive to stimulus over time, animal becomes more sensitive to stimulus over time.

Associative Learning (Pavlovian)

conditioned stimulus at first don’t cause specific response, but then does, unconditioned stimulus cause response even without training

Associative Learning — Instrumental (operat)

learning that occurs when response made by animal is reinforced, animal must take action

Local enhancement, Social facilitation, Copying, Imitation

animal is drawn to where others are, pressure of other animals increases behavior, animal repeats what others do (does not need to be novel), animal acquires novel response by observing new behavior.

How to develop optimality model

1. identify problem to be solved

2. choose “currency” (fitness or fitness correlate)

3. identify alternatives and constraints

4.  Quantify costs and benefits of available alternatives in relevant currency

Charnov’s Optimal diet model (big prey = 1, small prey = 2)

E2/h2 > E1/(S1 + h1)

Marginal Value Theorem

Game theory

Type of Optimality theory where optimal strategy depends on behavior of others

Evolutionary Stable Strategy

When average payoff for Hawks is equal to the average payoff to doves

Competition, Mutualism, Antagonistic (predatory parasistims, herbivory)

(-,-); (+,+); (-,+);

Amensalism, Commensalism, Neutralism

(-, 0); (+,0); (0,0)

Pursuit Predation

chasing and capturing prey, relies on speed, endurance, often group coordination

Ambush Predation

sit and wait, luring, or stalking strategies that rely on camouflage and stealth.

Digitigrade

walking on phalanges

Unguiligrade 

walking on tips of digits

pursuit deterrence

prey signals to predator they have been detected