16 Behavioral Ecology and Population Ecology Review

These flashcards cover key concepts in behavioral ecology and population ecology necessary for understanding individual and group behaviors in relation to environmental pressures.

Behavioral Ecology

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

Natural Selection

The process by which individuals with favorable traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Proximate Questions

Questions that focus on the immediate causes of behavior.

Ultimate Questions

Questions that focus on the evolutionary significance of behavior.

Innate Behaviors

Behaviors that are genetically hardwired and can be performed without prior experience.

Kinesis

A random, undirected change in the activity level of an organism in response to a stimulus.

Taxis

A directed movement towards or away from a stimulus.

Fixed Action Pattern

A sequence of behaviors that are triggered by a specific stimulus and are performed without further intervention.

Animal Communication

The transfer of information from one animal to another through signals.

Pheromones

Chemical signals released by animals that trigger a response in other individuals of the same species.

Auditory Signals

Communication through sound, often used in territory defense or mate attraction.

Visual Signals

Indicators communicated through sight, such as courtship displays.

Optimal Behavior

Behavior that maximizes an animal's fitness in terms of survival and reproduction.

Genetic Component of Behavior

The influence of genes on the behavior of individuals.

Habituation

A simple form of learning where an organism decreases its response to a repeated non-threatening stimulus.

Imprinting

A critical period where young animals learn behaviors by observing their parents.

Associative Learning

Learning that occurs when an animal learns to associate one stimulus with another.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a significant stimulus.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process where behavior is modified by its consequences, like rewards or punishments.

Cognitive Learning

A type of learning where animals solve problems through conscious thought.

Innate Behaviors and Learning

The interaction between genetically programmed behaviors and learned behaviors.

Cost versus Benefit Analysis

Evaluating the fitness returns of a behavior against the costs incurred.

Optimal Foraging Theory

A model that predicts how an animal behaves when searching for food, weighing costs and benefits.

Altruism

Behaviors that benefit other individuals at a cost to the individual performing the behavior.

Population Ecology

The study of how populations change in size and composition over time.

Population Size

The number of individuals in a specific population.

Population Density

The number of individuals living in a given area.

Demography

The statistical study of populations, including the structure, distribution, and trends.

Age Structure Diagrams

Graphs that display the distribution of various age groups in a population.

Survivorship Curves

Graphs that show the number of individuals surviving at each age for a given species.

Type I Survivorship Curve

Characterized by low mortality early in life and high mortality later, typical of large mammals.

Type II Survivorship Curve

Characterized by a constant mortality rate throughout life, seen in some birds and reptiles.

Type III Survivorship Curve

Characterized by high mortality in early life stages, typical of many fish and amphibians.

Exponential Growth

Unrestricted population growth in an ideal environment.

Logistic Growth

Population growth that levels off as it reaches the environment's carrying capacity.

Carrying Capacity (K)

The maximum population size that an environment can sustain.

Biotic Interactions

Interactions among living organisms within a population, such as competition and predation.

Abiotic Factors

Non-living environmental factors that affect populations, such as temperature and humidity.

Density-Dependent Factors

Factors that affect population size based on the population's density.

Density-Independent Factors

Factors that affect population size regardless of the population's density.

Limiting Factors

Environmental conditions that restrict population growth.

Over-Predation

A significant decrease in prey populations due to high predation rates.

Population Dynamics

The study of the changes in population size and composition over time.