Behavioural ecology

Behaviour

The internally coordinated responses (actions or inactions) of whole living organisms to internal and/or external stimuli.

Tinbergen’s Four Questions

Framework for analyzing animal behaviour focusing on proximate and ultimate causations.

Proximate Causation

Addresses how a behavior occurs or is modified.

Ultimate Causation

Explores why a behavior occurs in the context of natural selection.

Fixed Action Patterns

Sequences of unlearned innate behaviors that are triggered by external stimuli, usually carried to completion once initiated.

Migration

A regular, long-distance change in location triggered by environmental stimuli.

Circadian Rhythm

A daily cycle of rest and activity affecting an animal's behavior.

Imprinting

A long-lasting behavioral response established during a sensitive period of development.

Spatial Learning

Establishment of a memory that reflects the spatial structure of the environment.

Cognitive Map

An internal representation of spatial relationships between objects and an animal's surroundings.

Associative Learning

A process where animals associate one feature of their environment with another.

Cognition

The process of knowing that may include awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgement.

Optimal Foraging Theory

The concept that animals optimize their foraging behavior to maximize nutritional benefits while minimizing costs.

Brood Parasitism

When one species relies on another to raise its young, exploiting the parental care of the host species.

Animal Signals

Behaviors that cause a change in another animal's behavior.

Communication

The transmission and reception of signals between animals.