1: intro Flashcards
the 2 main questions to ask about behaviour are the proximate and ultimate questions- what 2 basic things are involved in each?
proximate: causation (mechanisms) + development (ontogeny)
ultimate : evolution (phylogeny) + function (selection)
give an example for each of these in a squirrel hunting for nuts:
a) causation/mechanisms
b) development/ontogeny
c) evolution/phylogeny
d) function/selection
a) nut overabundance may mean satiated so will hide excess nuts
b) instinct causes them to hide and learning means they find safe hiding spots
c) ancestors gather nuts safely
d) storing more nuts means more likely survive winter
what are the series of steps following the predator stimulating the sensory output ?
- developmental systems stimulated
- physiological systems such as the motor and sensory systems are stimulated and are under hormonal control
- leads to the behaviour
- beneficial genes are transmitted to the gene pool of the next generation
are these proximate or ultimate?
- survival value
- evolutionary history
- fitness
- U
- U
- P
what are the 2 proximate mechanisms?
- genetic developmental mechanisms
- sensory motor mechanisms
what are the genetic developmental proximate mechanisms?
- effects of heredity on behaviour
- development of sensory motor systems via gene environment interactions
what are the sensory motor proximate mechanisms?
- NS for detection of environmental stimuli
- skeletal muscular systems for carrying out responses
what are the 2 ultimate pathways/process?
- historical pathways leading to a current behavioural trait
- selective processes shaping the history of a behavioural trait
what are the ultimate historical pathways?
events occuring over evolution from the origin of the trait to the present
what are the ultimate selective processes?
past and current usefulness of the behaviour in promoting lifetime reproductive success
what do levels of analysis refer to?
if you’re studying ultimate or proximate causes and which aspect of these you are studying
what was Tinbergen’s experiment for testing the proximate hypothesis on the orientation in bee wolve wasps? (5)
- female bee wolf provisions underground nest with honey bees
- she covers entrance before hunting
- she circles to memorise landmarks near entrance to navigate nest
- set up with pine cones as landmarks and moved them
- female followed centre of pine cones not nest
what was Tinbergen’s experiment for testing the proximate hypothesis on egg shell removal by parent birds? (6)
- removed after the chick hatches
- white inside of the egg may catch predator attention
- artificial gull nests set up with broken eggshell at varying distances from the nest
- closer shells are to gull nests greater the predation
- broken shells increased predation by crows when placed near black headed gull eggs
- supports the idea that removing shells after hatching increases fitness
what are the upper and lower wings like of the comma and peacock butterflies? (4)
- cryptic underwing resembles leaves
- comma has a white mark on its upper wing to resemble bird faeces
- comma will close wings if disturbed to be camouflaged
- peacock will open wings to reveal eyespots when disturbed and will make a hiss sound
what are the meadow brown M.jurtina eye spots like?
small near tips of wings but not to scare predators
- act to direct attention to non vital non vulnerable areas such as the wings to avoid the body being eaten
what are the 4 steps of a scientific method?
- ask question on observed behaviour
- establish hypothesis to explain what is seen
- make predictions based on hypothesis
- test predictions
what is anting behaviour?
birds disturb ant mounds, putting ants such as worker wood ants in their feathers and the ants spray defensive chemical of formic acid
what are the 2 reasons for birds such as blue jays to engage in anting behaviour?
- kills parasites/lice in feathers
- makes ants more palatable by reducing their formic acid content
list the 4 subfamilies of Apidae
- Apinae (honeybees)
- Bombinae (bumblebees)
- Meliponinae (stingless bees)
- Euglossinae (orchid bees)
what does it mean to be eusocial?
living together in large colonies and have reproductive division of labour and cooperative care for young
which subfamilies of Apidae are eusocial?
Apinae, Bombinae, Meliponinae
which subfamilies of Apidae are swarm forming?
Apinae, Meliponinae
which subfamilies of Apidae show nectar transfer?
Apinae, Meliponinae
give 5 points about swarming such as the honey bee swarm
- nest may get overcrowded
- old queen flies away with working bees
- swarm attaches to a new tree branch
- search for a new nest
- original colony split into 2 separate colonies
give 3 points about nectar transfer
- receiver bee stores nectar in cell through extended tongue
- forager tongue not extended
- task partitioning and specialisation
what is the likely Apidae phylogeny and what is an alternate, less parsimonious one if the previous one could be seen as incorrect?
- likey one origin of eusociality, 2 origins of swarming and 2 origins of nectar transfer
- alternatively Bombinae actually split off before Apinae with one origin for each and eusociality evolved many times
what are the 2 hypotheses that need to be considered for why swallows fly south at the end of summer?
- how: because decreasing day length causes hormonal changes that trigger migration
- why: because those that do have more offspring
what is the importance of a behaviour improving survival or reproduction?
it shows the behaviour is adaptive
what does hypothesis mean in greek?
foundation
which Apidae subfamily is not eusocial?
orchid bees
what is a swarm?
colony fission in which a colony is formed by a queen and lots of workers
in bumble bees what happens to the nectar?
a nectar forager stores her own nectar
