BIO204-M1L3

Behavior

the response to a stimulus

Role of Oxytocin

mediates consolation behaviors

Proximate vs. Ultimate

Proximate is how something happens, physiologically

Ultimate is why something happens, based on evolutionary history & consequences

Innate behavior + disadvantages

Inherited behavior that requires no learning Ex. yawning

Disadvantages: fixed/ inflexible

Learning

change in behavior resulting from specific experience in an individuals life Ex. driving

Culture

behavioral traditions passed on through social learning

Why use cost-benefit analysis?

to quantify/ understand choices animals make

Rovers & Sitters proximate + ultimate

Optimal foraging

animals maximize benefits and minimize costs allowing for more time and energy for reproduction

Cuttle fish experiment

Variation in mating systems

1. Mating can occur between different numbers of individuals

2. Mating systems aren’t always as they appear

3. Mating behavior varies

4. Mating behavior can be for things other than offspring

Mate choice proximate vs. ultimate

Proximate:

Abiotic & Biotic cues

Abiotic: spring triggers testosterone and estradiol in lizards

Biotic: visual, acoustic, tactile, etc.

Ultimate:

Male birds sing only to attract females

New view: both sing and it’s actually a mode of communication

• increasing fitness, reproductive success

Social selection

differential reproductive success due to differential success in social competition like for mates

Migration proximate

1. Piloting: using familiar landmarks 

• Offspring learn route when following their parents

2. Compass orientation: movement oriented in a specific direction

• Animals can use sun, stars, magnetic field of earth

3. True navigation (map orientation): ability to locate a specific place on earth's surface 

• Done by using earth's magnetic field (intensity, angle)

Neural maps

insects have neural maps to help them go forage and get back safely home without magnetic fields, the sun, etc.

Communication

signal from one individual modifies behavior of a recipient individual

Communication proximate vs. ultimate

Dishonest communication

Playing dead and releasing a smell to avoid predators

Is mating choice conscious?

No

Migration ultimate

Survival & fitness

Flexible, high variation in population, influenced by environment, can be adaptive

learned

Fixed, low variation in population, little environmental influence, can be adaptive

innate

Tinbergen’s 4 questions

Mechanism: what internal/ external factors influence this behavior?

Ontogeny (development): how does this behavior change over an animals lifetime?

Function (adaptive significance): how does this behavior improve survival/ reproductive success?

Phylogeny (evolution): how did the behavior evolve over generations within the species’ ancestry?

Which of Tinbergen’s question are proximate? Which are ultimate?

Mechanism & Ontogeny = Proximate

Function & Phylogeny = Ultimate

How can mating strategies change

age, condition, and environment

Intersexual vs. Intrasexual

Intersexual: when one sex is choosing individuals of the other sex

Intrasexual: when individuals of the same sex compete for access to mates

Mating proximate & ultimate