Behavioral Ecology

Coefficient of Relatedness ( r )

probability that any two individuals will share a copy of a particular gene

• an organism can not only pass on its genes by having offspring but also by ensuring that relatives survive

Cognitive Learning

the process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experiences, and the sense, involving mental processes such as thinking, knowing, memory, and problem-solving

Eusociality

workers (females) help queen raise offspring but have none of their own

Fisher’s Principle

population sex ratio in sexually reproducing organisms is maintained at 1:1 (equal numbers of males and females)

Fixed Action Pattern

a series of movements elicited by a stimulus such that even when the stimulus is removed, the pattern goes on to completion

Hamilton’s Rule

altruism is favored by natural selection when relatedness between the altruist and recipient, outweigh the costs of altruist

Haplodiploidy

females are diploid, males are haploid

Imprinting

a rapid form of learning occurring at a specific life stage, where an animal forms strong attachments and develops a concept of its identity

Inclusive fitness

designates the total number of copies of genes passed on through own offspring and one’s relatives

Intersexual Selection

member of one sex chooses mate based on certain characteristics

• female makes choice (normally)

• Often based on plumage color or courtship displays

Intrasexual Selection

members of one sex compete for partners and the winner gets most of the matings

• mate competition between individuals

• females mate with competitively superior males

• males assert dominance by fighting or ritualized sparring

• male-male competition produces males larger than females

• small males can still father offspring by intercepting females

Kin selection

behavior that lowers an individual’s own fitness but enhances the reproductive success of relatives

Kinesis

the undirected movement in response to a stimulus

Migration

long-range seasonal movement of animals

Monogamy

partners form lasting pair bonds

• No sexual dimorphism

• Often associated with biparental care

Operant Conditioning

animals learn behaviors through rewards and punishments

Classical Conditioning

animals learn to associate a neutral stimulus with a significant one

Polyandry

one female mates with several males

• rare

• females is usually bigger

Polygyny

one male commands a harem of many females

• associated with uniparental care, males contribute little to raising young

Promiscuous

both sexes have multiple mating partners

Sexual Dimorphism

differences in appearance, size, or other characteristics between males and females of the same species

Taxis

the directed movement towards or away from a stimulus

Waggle Dance

a form of multimodal communication for honeybees

Mate-assistance hypothesis

• males remain with females to help rear offspring

• monogamy theory

Male-guarding hypothesis

• males stay with a female to protect her from being fertilized by others

• monogamy theory

Female-enforced hypothesis

• female interferes with male attracting other females

• monogamy theory

Resource-based polygyny

patchy distribution of resource and female visits for resources

Harem-mating structure polygyny

females naturally congregate and male controls area

Communal courting

males display in leks (communal courting area), females mate after males display

• polygyny

Obligate migration

animals always migrate

Facultative migration

animals choose to migrate or not migrate

Incomplete migration

some of the population migrates, while others do not

Ethology

study of behaviors

Innate behaviors

strong genetic component, independent of environment, “hard-wired”

Learned behavior

result from environmental conditioning, flexible and dynamics

reflex action

involuntary and rapid response to stimlus