Chapter 51: Behavioral Ecology

behavior

an action carried out by muscles under control of the nervous system

fixed action pattern

a sequence of unlearned acts directly linked to a simple stimulus

sign stimulus

trigger for a behavior that initiates a fixed action pattern

migration

animals rely on environmental cues to stimulate this and rely on things like the sun and north star for guidance

example of a fixed action pattern

certain species of fish will exhibit aggressive behavior when met with a male fish with a red underside. they will also be aggressive around any red object

are fixed action patterns hardwired into the brain

yes

circadian clock

can play a role in navigation and also maintains rhythmic activity under constant environmental conditions like hibernation

pheromones

are chemical signals that trigger behavioral responses in members of the same species.

what can pheromones also serve as

alarm signals and mating signals.

kinesis

a non-directional movement in response to a stimulus, affecting the speed or frequency of movement.

taxis

a directional movement toward or away from a stimulus.

migration

periodic movement long distances seasonally

how do fish migrate

by tracking the chemicals in the water

what is another thing that guides migrating animals

The Earth's magnetic field.

signal

stimulus transmitted from one organism to another

visual communication

the use of visual signals such as body language, colors, or patterns to convey information between organisms.

chemical communication

the use of chemicals, such as pheromones, to convey information between organisms.

tactile communication

the use of touch or physical interactions to convey information between organisms.

auditory communication

the use of sound signals, including vocalizations and calls, to convey information between organisms.

cross-fostering study

raising offspring in the care of parents from different species or populations.

imprinting

a critical period learning process where young animals recognize and form attachments to the first moving object they encounter, often their parents.

sensitive period

time in development in which imprinting can occur

spatial learning

the process by which an animal learns the layout of its environment and the location of resources within it.

how do birds identify where their nest is

by relying on landmarks

associative learning

a learning process in which an animal learns to associate one stimulus with another, often involving a reward or punishment.

modeling

the process by which animals learn by observing the behavior of others.

optimal foraging theory

a theory that suggests animals maximize their foraging efficiency by optimizing their food search strategies to minimize energy expenditure and maximize energy intake.

what is an example of the optimal foraging theory

study on the height in which birds drop clams that maximizes energy output and reward

what does the optimal foraging theory rely on

tradeoffs

cognition

the process of knowing that involves awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgement