Animal Behavior - Bio Exam 3

Proximate behavior

How behavior occurs or is modified. What triggers the behavior, how do experiences and development influence the behavior

Ultimate behavior

Why a behavior evolves. How does it aid survival and reproduction, what is its evolutionary history

Innate behavior

Behavior that requires no learning, under strong genetic control

Fixed action pattern

Sequence of unlearned, innate behaviors. Once they are started whole sequence follows through

Sign stimulus

Something that initiates a fixed action pattern

Factors that regulate behavior

Genetics and learning/environment. Songbirds know how to sing through genetics, but must be in the right environment to know the correct song to sing

Piloting

Most simple mechanism to find locations. Moving from one familiar landmark to another, doesn’t require a compass or a map, but landmarks must stay in the same place. Wasps use this

Orientation

Intermediate mechanism to find locations. Movement along a compass line, uses sun as a compass, requires an internal clock, if blown off course or sun isnt out hard to be on track. Monarch butterflies use to migrate

Navigation

Most complex mechanism to find locations. Ability to orient along a compass to determine if location is in relation to destination, requires a compass and a map. Pigeons use

Bees communication about food

Up comb: towards sun

Down comb: away from sun

Waggle dance: amount of waggles equals distance

Round dance

Bees dance in a figure 8 and other circles to communicate that food is near the hive

Handicap principle

Signals (vocal and visual) are expensive, so only the highest quality males can produce them. Signals convey information about the quality of a male

Intersexual selection

Females choose males based on their characteristics

Intrasexual selection

Competition between members, males fight to get to mate with females