"Behavioral Ecology"

What is behavior?

An observable response to internal or external stimuli

What are examples of behavior?

Movement, communication, feeding, mating

What influences behavior?

Genetics, environment, and learning

What does behavioral ecology study?

How behavior increases fitness

What shapes behavior according to behavioral ecology?

Natural selection

What are proximate causes of behavior?

Immediate mechanisms like hormones, nerves, and genes (HOW)

What are ultimate causes of behavior?

Evolutionary reasons or advantages (WHY)

Why are both proximate and ultimate explanations important?

They provide a complete understanding of behavior

Behavior results from the interaction of what two factors?

Genetic programming and environmental experience

What is innate behavior?

Inborn, genetically determined behavior that requires no learning

What triggers a fixed action pattern?

A sign stimulus

What happens once a fixed action pattern starts?

It runs to completion

What is learning?

A behavioral change resulting from experience

Why is learning important?

It allows adaptation to the environment

What is habituation?

Decreased response to a repeated stimulus

What is classical conditioning?

Association between stimuli

What is operant conditioning?

Behavior shaped by rewards or punishments

What is imprinting?

Rapid, irreversible learning during a critical early-life period

What is kinesis?

Random movement influenced by stimulus intensity

What is taxis?

Directed movement toward or away from a stimulus

What is migration?

Long-distance seasonal movement

What drives migration?

Resource availability and reproduction

What ability is required for migration?

Navigation

What does optimal foraging theory state?

Organisms maximize energy gained while minimizing energy spent

What is a trade-off in foraging?

High-quality food may increase risk

What do animals often choose instead?

Safer, less optimal food

Why do animals defend territories?

For food and mates

What are the benefits of territory?

Resource access

What are the costs of territory?

Energy use and risk of injury

What determines optimal territory size?

Balance between costs and benefits

What is communication in animals?

Signals used to influence others

What is communication important for?

Mating, defense, and social interaction

What are the four types of communication signals?

Chemical, auditory, visual, and tactile

What does the waggle dance communicate?

Distance and direction of food

What are benefits of group living?

Reduced predation, better food detection, cooperative care of young

What are costs of group living?

Increased competition, disease transmission, resource depletion

How is altruism explained?

By kin selection

What is kin selection?

Helping relatives to spread shared genes

What is reciprocal altruism?

Helping others with the expectation of return

What is eusociality?

Extreme cooperation (e.g., bees, ants)

What is a promiscuous mating system?

Both sexes mate with multiple partners; little or no parental care

What is a monogamous mating system?

One male and one female pair; both may raise offspring

What is a polygynous mating system?

One male mates with multiple females; controls resources

What is a polyandrous mating system?

One female mates with multiple males; males provide most care