BIO2: Ch 43 Animal Behavior (Exam 4)

behavioral ecology

analysis of adaptive value of behavior in its ecological context

innate

instinctive and carried out regardless of animal’s earlier experience

-ex: male moth fly towards source of female pheromone

learned behavior

depends on indiv. experience

fixed action pattern

stereotyped behavior; sequence of behaviors that, once triggered, is followed through to completion

ex: goose and egg that fell from nest

displays

species-specific patterns of behavior; tend to follow same sequence of action whenever they are performed, in a way similar from one indiv. to the next

• ex: birds courtship displays

key stimulus

initiates behavior

• ex: goose realizes egg is missing = rolling the egg back to nest

• this response cannot be broken down into smaller subunits and is always carried out to the end, even if it is distrusted

supernormal stimulus

ex: soccer ball instead of goose egg

• it is larger than any goose egg and elicits an exaggerated response

feature detectors

specialized sensory receptor / group of receptors that respond to important signals in environment

• ex: a frog is subjected to a bunch of sound stimuli but each species has a feature detector tuned to its species-specific calls

hormones can trigger certain behaviors

ex: anolis lizards

• when there is one male presented to group or females = 100% active egg follicles

breeding experiments determine…

the degree to which a behavior is genetic

• ex: artificial selection of humans breeding animals for particular traits

• can alter behavior ex: herding dogs

molecular techniques/biology

provide new ways of testing the role of genes in behavior

• complex behaviors are strongly influenced by a single gene

• ex: sitter and rover larvae; diff alleles of foraging gene affect feeding behavior of drosophila melanogaster larvae

• food present = rover larvae travel

• sitter = barely move, feeding on patches which they find themself

differences in gene expression

different sexual behaviors of two species

non-associative learning

occurs without linking two events; occurs in absence of any particular outcome (reward/punishment)

habituation

type of non-associative learning; reduction of elimination of behavioral response to a repeatedly presented stimulus

sensitization

type of nonassocative learning; enhancement of a response to a stimulus that is achieved by presenting a prior strong/novel stimulus

• initial stimulus = more alert and responsive

associative learning / conditioning

animal learns to link two events; ex: pavlov’s dogs

• classical conditioning = two stimuli are paired (ex: dog salivating at sound of the bell expecting meat reward)

operant conditioning

associative learning; behavior that was initially undirected has become paired w/ a particular stimulus thru reward/punishment reinforcement

• if behavior is rewarded = more likely to occur next time

• ex: trainer gives performing sea lion fish after doing a trick

kineses

random, undirected movement in response to a stimulus

taxes

movement in specific direction in response to stimulus

map information

tells you where you are with respect to your destination

• ex: homing pigeons have both compass and map senses (based on landmarks)

magnetoreception

magnetic navigation system

• experiment with pigeon wearing magnetic helmet = distrust bird ability to detect earth magnetic field (works on cloud days but not if its sunny)

biological clockes

provide important time cues for many behaviors

circadian clock

daily cycles; regulate many daily rhythms in animals (feeding, sleeping, hormone prod., core body temp)

lunar clock

moon-based bio clock; times activities especially animals living in habitats where tides important

annual clock

corresponds closely to solar year

• ex: periodical cicadas have generation time of either 13 or 17 yrs, in a given location a cicada outbreak occurs every 13/17 yrs

photoperiod

used as time cue; ex: hibernation, migration

ritualization

communication evolved thru co-opting and modifying non-communicative behaviors used in another context

• increase conspicuousness of behavior

• reducing amnt of variation in behavior = immediately recognized

• inc. seperation of behavior from og function

• ex: scent of which mammals mart territory was originally to eliminate waste but its function has evolved

advertisment displays

ex: cricket and frog and bird calls; behaviors where indiv. draw attention to their status

altruistic

act of self-sacrifice that helps another; decrease fitness and therefore should be selected against

group selection

weak explanation of altruistic behavior; natural selection operating on indiv. is a less powerful force than another form on selection that operates on groups (indivs are stronger if they work as a group)

evolutionary stable strategy

type of behavior that cannot readily be driven to extinction by an alternative strategy

reciprocal altruism

indivs. exchange favors = altruism evolves

kin selection

based on idea that its possible to contribute genetically to future generations by helping close relatives; favors spread of alleles that promote behaviors that help relatives

euosocial

ex of reprod altruism; many species of Hymenoptera have overlapping gens in a nest, providing cooperative care of the young and a clear and consistent division of labor b/w reproducers

• ex; honeybee and queen bee