Ethology and behavioural ecology

Behavioral ecology 

How the behavior an animal has helps with survival 

Communication 

• Acoustic - warning, mating, socializing 

• Visual - warning, mating, social, food 

• Tactile - social bonds, psychological 

• Chemical - pheromones(mating), warning, defense, food 

Sexual strategies 

• Sexual selection 

Characteristics \ traits 

-beneficial for mating if u get to survive 

• Sexual dimorphism

 -difference between a male and a female  

High comp-bigger difference 

Low comp- lower difference (select apone the internal traits) 

• Sexual systems 

Monogamy male + female (both care for the offspring, less secondary characteristics ) 

Poygamy:

Polygyny - one male + many females 

Polyandry - one female + many males 

Promiscuous mating for mating (competition)

Avoiding predators 

• Mimicry - when an animal pretends to be a dangerous animal (color, shape) 

• Camouflage - blending into your surroundings (harder for predators to see) 

• Aposematic coloring - bright colors, contrasting colors  (often dangerous) 

Social systems 

• Pack 

+Hide with the others 

+Less time on finding food 

+Easier to hunt food 

-More food needed , sharing food 

• Solitary 

+don’t have to share food 

+easy to hide 

-wasted time on finding food 

Ethology 

What behaviour and why 

Instincts - innate behaviour 

Stimuli - something that triggers a response 

Key stimuli - very specific trigger for a specific behaviour 

Supernormal stimuli - very strong stimuli and larger reaction 

Conditioning - condition  a behaviour to a stimuli that they wouldn't react to normally 

Imprinting - learning a behaviour from other individuals 

Redundant action -  motivation for a behaviour but the stimuli is missing 

Displacement activity - motivation for two or more conflicting  behaviour, end up doing non of them