BIOA02 - L1

  • Focus: Individual-based ecology, studying behaviors of animals in relation to their environment (behavioural ecology).

Learning Objectives

  1. Define red terms significant to the course; resolve unclear definitions using textbooks.

  2. Differentiate between proximate vs. ultimate questions, and explain Tinbergen’s four questions.

  3. Distinguish innate vs. learned behaviours, including examples discussed in class.

  4. Differentiate between non-associative and associative learning types and provide examples from class.

  5. Apply terminology accurately based on given examples of behavior (e.g., positive reinforcement).

Tinbergen’s Four Questions

  • List of Questions:

    1. What is the behaviour's function? (Ultimate)

    2. How does behaviour develop? (Proximate)

    3. What are the evolutionary origins? (Ultimate)

    4. What mechanisms drive the behaviour? (Proximate)

Proximate vs. Ultimate Questions

  • Proximate Questions: Focus on mechanisms and development of behaviours.

  • Ultimate Questions: Explore the evolutionary and adaptive significance of those behaviours.

Contributions of Ethologists

  • Niko Tinbergen: Founder of experimental ethology, known for simple yet effective behavioral tests.

  • Konrad Lorenz: Coined ‘ethology’, researched imprinting in young animals.

  • Karl von Frisch: Studied insects; discovered bee vision; interpreted bee communication.

Imprinting

  • Definition: A type of pre-programmed learning occurring during a critical development period.

  • Examples include attachment to parents or important environmental cues shortly after birth.

Fixed Action Patterns (FAP)

  • Characteristics:

    1. Sequenced responses that are innate and unalterable.

    2. Triggered by environmental stimuli.

    3. Highly stereotyped within species.

Examples of Innate Behavior

  • Goose egg-rolling, stickleback fish attacking red-bellied objects, and courtship displays in various species.

  • Behaviours are genetically determined and occur without prior experience.

Learned Behaviours

  • Learned behaviors can be modified through individual experience. They contrast with innate behaviours which are instinctive.

Non-associative Learning

  • Definition: Learning that occurs in the absence of an outcome through repeated exposure to stimuli.

    • Habituation: Decrease in response to a repeated stimulus.

    • Sensitization: An increased reaction to a stimulus after repeated exposure.

Associative Learning

  • Definition: Learning that connects two events, comprising two major types:

    1. Classical Conditioning: Pairing of a neutral stimulus with a significant stimulus until the neutral stimulus elicits a response.

    2. Operant Conditioning: Modification of behavior based on the consequences of that behavior (reward/punishment).

Examples of Conditioning Types

  • Classical Conditioning: Pavlov's dogs - associating bell ringing with food.

  • Operant Conditioning:

    • Positive reinforcement: Dog receiving a treat for sitting.

    • Negative punishment: Removing a child’s privileges for misbehaving.

Conclusion

  • Understanding behaviors in animal ecology requires distinguishing between genetic factors and learned experiences, using a framework of questions devised by early ethologists.