Zoology Exam 3: Animal Behavior

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Behavioral Ecology

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study of how behavior contributes to the differential survival and reproduction of organisms - focus is on evolutionary significance of a behavior: how it helps pass on genes

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proximate causes

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address specific genetic and physiological mechanisms of behavior
- immediate stimulus and mechanism

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proximate cause for elk breeding seasonally

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immediate stimulus: short light cycle of day
mechanism: brain and hormone changes signaling to mate

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ultimate causes

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address the evolutionary significance of a behavior
- how behavior contributes to reproductive success

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ultimate cause for elk seasonally breeding

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makes it likely for them to pass on their genes because offspring born in the spring have a better chance of survival

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innate behaviors

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genetically programmed; developmentally fixed

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fixed action pattern (FAP)

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sequence of unlearned, innate behaviors that is unchangeable. once initiated, usually carried out to completion (even if an aspect is disrupted). characteristic response.

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sign stimulus

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the stimulus that initiates a FAP behavior. doesn't have to be very specific, but must have key components (ex. red underside; round object)

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learning

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a modification of behavior based on previous experience

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habituation

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simplest form of learning; decrease in response to a stimulus due to repetition; organism learns to ignore a repeated stimulus. allow animals to ignore irrelevant stimuli. ex: birds become habituated to a scarecrow

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associative learning

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association develops between a stimulus and a response

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classical conditioning

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involuntary response becomes associated positively or negatively with a stimulus that did not originally elicit the response

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food --> salivate
bell --> no response
bell --> food --> salivate
bell --> salivate

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unconditioned stimulus --> unconditioned response
neutral stimulus --> no response
NS --> UCS --> UCR
CS --> CR

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operant conditioning

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associated learning: animal's behavior is reinforced by a consequence (reward or punishment)
ex. birds learn to avoid eating bad-tasting butterflies, because vomit

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critical period

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or sensitive period; limited time period of development (develop species-specific behavior during it)

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imprinting

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includes learning and innate components. species-specific behavior.

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migration

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seasonal movement of animals over relatively long distances

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piloting

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animal moves from landmark to landmark to find their way; typically used during day, short distances - experiments showed use of only landmarks (not actual destination spot/object)

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orientation

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ability to follow a compass and travel in a straight line; movement of animals along a compass line; can detect compass directions - some use magnets in brain to use magnetic field of earth as compass; some use a sun compass (internal clock) & keep track of time and sun position to know NSEW. internal sense of time and compass

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navigation

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ability of animals who can orient along compass lines to determine their location in relation to their destination: requires a compass and a map. map can be based on earth;s magnetic field, landmarks, sounds, odors, highways. ability not only to follow a compass, but to set or adjust it too

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compass and map for navigation innate or learned?

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compass innate, map learned. (adult and young starling birds taken from migrating SW and dropped in switz; adult birds adjusted course and flew back to true destination (France), while juvenile birds kept flying SW and were found in spain)

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optimality theory

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Predicts an animal should behave in a way that maximizes the benefits of a behavior minus its cost (maximize difference between benefits and costs)

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OPTIMAL Foraging

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in any given circumstance, an animal seeks to obtain the most energy possible with the least energy expended; assumes that natural selection favors animals that are maximally efficient at propagating their genes and at performing all other functions that serve this purpose. maximize difference between energy intake and energy expenditure

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territory

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area defended by an individual or group; territory size tends to be optimized by costs and benefits . benefits: access to resources (food, mates, nesting sites), costs: requires aggression or marking behavior to defend

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communication

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the use of specifically designed signals or displays to modify the behavior of others: chemical, visual, auditory. form depends on environment in which animal lives, and on the function of the signal. functions including territory defense, mate attraction, male-male competition

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chemical communication

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often used to mark territories (felines and canines, long-lasting scent) and as an attractant (ants leave trail for others; disappears quickly)

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auditory communication

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often used to attract mates or deter rivals (long distance signal)

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visual communication

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often used during courtship and aggressive displays (short distance signal) - ex. bird dance, peacock; and tiger fangs, deer antlers

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handicap principle

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1) signals are expensive (energy wise) to produce
2) thus only the highest quality males can produce them
3) therefore signals accurately convey information about male quality
- makes it difficult to "cheat", pretend stronger than really are

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deceitful signaling

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signaler benefits, receiver does not

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sexual selection

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a form of natural selection that promotes traits that will increase an organism's mating success; the competition for mates drives the evolution of certain traits. 2 forms

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intersexual selection

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members of one sex choose mates on the basis of particular characteristics (ex. elaborate courtship dances, plumage color, etc)

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intrasexual selection

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involves competitions among members of one sex for mates (sometimes females mate with winner of competition)