- There are cost/benefit ratios associated with every behavior that determines an organism’s evolutionary success. - If the cost of a behavior is too high, death can result. - The cost/benefit ratios of two different foraging strategies in fish are shown in the chart on the left. Acquiring large prey is beneficial in terms of nutrient gain, but it requires more energy expenditure for capture. Smaller prey are less costly to catch, but provide fewer calories.

- When members of the same species vie for limited resources (such as food or a mate), intraspecific competition may take the form of agonistic behaviors. - These aggressive behaviors usually do not program the individual to fight to the death. The individual postures, instead, thus preserving the individual’s life. In rare instances, mate availability is severely limited, and males will fight to the death for the opportunity to mate. Such a situation occurs in some species of ground squirrels.

- Certain bird songs are actually territorial messages to warn other male birds of the same species. - Genetically based behaviors may determine when birds migrate. Bird 1 on the left migrates north in March. The early migration leaves him vulnerable to harsh winter conditions and insufficient food supply. Bird 2 leaves later and has more stored fat for the migration. Bird 2 may be successful in capturing territory from weaker birds.

Which of the following is not an example of intraspecific competition?

- Mountain chickadees defend small territories against migrating eastern deciduous chickadees.

If the cost of a behavior is greater than the benefit,

- it will probably not persist very long in a population

Why would a male ground squirrel have a gene for fighting another male ground squirrel to the death?

- Female ground squirrels only have a few hours a year when they are fertile so the males must fight for the opportunity to mate.

Optimal foraging theory

- is the concept that natural selection will favor animals that choose foraging strategies that maximize benefits while reducing costs.

A bluegill in a low prey density environment will eat ____________ in order to obtain ____________ at the cost of passing up potentially larger prey. A bluegill in a high prey density environment will eat ____________ in order to obtain ____________ at the cost of expending extra energy.

- the first available prey; - guaranteed nutrients; - the largest prey; - the most nutrients

14.4.1 Competitive Behaviors and Survivability Flashcards by Irina Soloshenko

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14.4.1 Competitive Behaviors and Survivability Flashcards

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