ZO - Lecture 1 -

Ultimate Causes

The factors that describe why a biological process works on an evolutionary level. Determines through phylogeny and evolution. Looks at the larger population and long-term adaptations.

Proximate Causes

The factors that describe how a biological process works on an individual level such as biological processes and genetics. Determined through looking at the body’s natural processes.

Ontogeny

How does it develop

Mechanism

How does it work

Phylogeny

Looking at family trees to see how evolution affects certain factors and behaviors. Used to determine ultimate causes and how it arises.

Function

Why is it done/purpose

Social Monogamy Characteristics

Two parental figures

Mother-child bond

Commitment to one partner

Shared Territory and resources

Selective Aggression

Sexual Monogamy Characteristics

Sexual exclusivity

Lower sperm levels/reduced testis size

Low sexual dimorphism (males and females look the same)

Neurobiological drivers

Ethology

The ultimate study of animals using ethograms. Consists of simply observing animals and noting down observations. Focuses on nature and how things have naturally developed through evolution.

Fixed Action Pattern

An innate behavior that happens even when the releaser/sign stimulus is removed. Also known as the consummatory act.

Releaser/sign stimulus causes

the innate releasing mechanism

Appetitive Behavior

When an animal is constantly searching for a sign stimulus to trigger the fixed action pattern.

Comparative Psychology

The proximate study of animals. Focuses on looking at animals and comparing biological processes to see how they do behaviors differently. Focuses on nurture and learned behaviors?

Nature vs. Nurture

• Nature: How things develop naturally in animals after many years of evolution

• Nurture: The learned processes of animals throughout their lifetime and how their natural processes contribute to their behavior.

Supernormal Stimulus

When a stimulus is artificially produced.

Behavioral Ecology

Studies the interaction of species and focuses on theories as to why animals act the way they do.

Things to touch on while describing Animal Behavior

• C: Causation

• D: Development

• E: Evolutionary history

• F: Function or survival

Tinbergen

Discovered the key principles of animal behavior and co-founded the field of ethology.

Lorenz

Discovered the concept of imprinting through studying geese.

Von Frisch

Discovered that some animal behaviors are innate such as communication.

Natural Selection

Caused by variation and competition.

• Genes are indirectly selected for while the individual/behavior is directly selected for.

V, p, G, E, GE

V: variance

p: phenotype

G: genes

E: enviornment

GE: interaction of genes/env.

Adaptations

Genetically selected for because they increase an organism’s fitness and ability to survive in a specific environment.

Adaptive traits

Benefit and enhance survival, but are not necessarily because of genetics. They are traits that are accidental that come with other traits.

Indirect vs. direct competition

Competition for resources, health, focuses on individuals vs. fighting directly

Cost benefit analysis

Weighing out the pros and cons of a certain behavior and if it is necessary to continue to do. Do its evolutionary benefits outweigh its costs?

Divergent Species

A group of organisms that share a common ancestor but overtime have evolved different traits and characterstics often due to physical separation that have made them different species.

Convergent Species

Species that do not have a common ancestor independently develop similar traits or behaviors due to adapting to similar ecological pressures.

Polygenic Inheritance

Occurs when a single behavioral trait is controlled by multiple genes.

• Traits like fearfulness, anxiety, and noise sensitivity in dogs are linked to multiple loci.

Pleiotrophy

Occurs when a single gene influences two or more distinct behaviors or physical traits.

• The gene that causes white cats with blue eyes also causes congenital deafness because it disrupts normal development of the inner ear.

Hybridization

Occurs when animals from different species mate to produce a hybrid offspring.

• This often leads to mixed behavioral traits in the hybrid that combine both parent species behaviors.

BDNF

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor - a key protein that controls synaptic plasticity, learning, and emotional behavior in animals.

Kallmann Syndrome

Defined by a loss of smell and underdeveloped reproductive systems due to a certain hormone deficiency.

Geotaxis experiments

Used to measure an organism’s automatic movement in response to gravity, which is typically negative geotaxis (the opposite of down) because of the natural impulse to climb when startled.

Gene Altercation - transgenics

Moving a gene from one species to another.

Gene Altercation - knockout

Turning off a specific gene in an animal to study how the missing genetic information alters behavior and functions.

Natural Selection - Stabilizing

Where the environment favors average traits and acts against extreme traits.

• Leads to less variation

Natural Selection - Directional

Where the environment favors one extreme only.

• Leads to less variation

Natural Selection - Disruptive

Where the environment only favors both extremes, not the average trait.

• Leads to more variation

Kin Selection

Behavior where animals help relatives survive and reproduce, even at the cost of their own survival or reproductive success.

Heritability

h²= (Var(G))/(Var(P))

ASPN Gene

• Needed for mitosis

• Regulates number of times the neuronal stem cells divide and therefore the number of neurons in an adult brain.

Resting Potential in cells

Polarized (K+ inside, Na+ outside)

Electric synapse vs. Chemical synapse

Cells connected by gap junctions to let ions flow directly from one cell to another vs. cells separated by synaptic clef, when action potential reaches the presynaptic terminal, neurotransmitters are released which is a much slower process.