Animal Behavior Lecture
Introduction to Animal Behavior
Transition from the diversity of life section to animal behavior.
Observations of Animal Behavior
Subconscious Observations: Animals display behaviors that may be noticed subconsciously by humans.
Examples of Observed Behaviors Around Tucson:
Hummingbirds foraging on specific flowers due to energy rewards.
Lizards performing push-ups potentially as a territorial display.
Ants moving back and forth on trails, showcasing their societal structure.
Beetles standing on their heads, possibly releasing irritants when disturbed.
Reasons Behind Animal Behavior
Asking the question: Why do we observe these behaviors?
Each behavior observed in animals may have underlying reasons related to physiological and environmental factors:
Hummingbirds prefer sunflowers for their energy content.
Lizards’ push-ups could signal territory.
Ants’ trail movements indicate organized traffic.
Beetle behaviors reveal mechanisms of defense.
Courtship Displays in Animals
Extravagant Features: Males exhibit special plumage and displays to attract mates.
Example from Birds of Paradise: Male courtship displays are visually elaborate and unique;
Distinction noted between different species like the "smiley face bird" and the Super Bird of Paradise with their unique courtship dances.
Demonstration of a courtship dance highlights the complexity and dynamism in mating rituals of birds.
Vocal Behaviors in Birds
Singing in Male Birds: Primarily serves two functions: marking territory and attracting mates.
Females often select mates based on visual and auditory attributes, including songs and dances.
Territorial Behavior of Walnut Flies
Specific niche adaptation: Walnut flies (specialized fruit fly in southern Arizona) exhibit unique territorial behavior around their host plant (walnut).
Males defend fruit and engage in boxing contests to secure mating opportunities with females.
Levels of Analysis for Behavior
Mechanism: How does behavior work? Deals with physiological and neurological bases of behaviors.
Example: Navigation in sea turtles using Earth’s magnetic field (magnetoreception).
Development: How does behavior develop? Examines whether behaviors are learned or instinctive.
Example: Nest finding by bee wolves involves memorization of local landmarks; experiments showcase this hypothesis.
Function: What is the adaptive advantage of behavior?
Example: Infrared tail signaling in ground squirrels when encountering predators, allowing them to avoid attacks.
Evolution: Understanding the evolutionary history leading to behavioral traits.
Example: Mapping echolocation in cave swiftlets on a phylogenetic tree showcases evolutionary advantages over time.
Examples of Function in Animal Behavior
Altruism: Defined as any behavior that benefits a recipient while incurring a cost to the donor.
Alarm calls in prairie dogs; roles of sterile casts in social structures of certain species (e.g., ants, naked mole rats).
Analysis of altruism can reveal how individual actions can propagate genetic material within a larger family or species.
Brood Parasitism:Behavior where certain birds (like cuckoos) lay eggs in the nests of others to exploit parental care of the host.
Includes videos illustrating cuckoo behaviors of laying eggs in host nests.
Reciprocity: Altruism through cooperation; involves mutual benefit arrangements.
Examples include male alliances in olive baboons.
Kin Selection: An individual may sacrifice their own reproduction for the benefit of a relative.
Alarm calls in prairie dogs show increased frequency when relatives are present.
Hamilton’s Rule: Benefits to the relative must outweigh the costs to the altruist for a behavior to evolve (b*r > c).
Coefficient of relatedness metrics for different familial relations (mother/offspring = 0.5, sibling = 0.5, etc.).
Cost and Benefits of Learning vs. Instinct
Learning: Generally increases with complexity (e.g., in mammals, birds).
Benefits: Flexibility in behavior; learning from mistakes can lead to adaptive advantages (e.g., identifying high-quality food resources).
Costs: Involvement of mistakes inherent in the learning process (e.g., predators learning to avoid poisonous prey).
Instinct: Often linked to survival when mistakes are costly.
Benefits: Immediate and automatic responses prevent danger (e.g., reactions at cliff edges in young animals).
Costs: Rigid behavioral patterns can be exploited (e.g., brood parasitism behaviors).