16. Chapter 51: Behavioural Ecology Flashcards
1
Q
Behaviour
A
an animal does and it does itWhat
2
Q
Behaviour
A
an animal does and it does itWhat
3
Q
What does behaviour directly impact?
A
fitness of individuals, molded by natural selection, influence lifetime reproductive success
4
Q
Innate behaviours
A
due to genetic programming (environmental diff. does not alter this)
5
Q
Learning
A
the modification of behaviour resulting from specific experiences (predator-specific alarm calls of primates)
6
Q
Habituation
A
A loss of responsiveness to unimportant stimuli (“cry-wolf” effect)
7
Q
Maturation
A
behavioural improvement because of ongoing neuromuscular development
(ez to mistake for innate - hockey player example)
8
Q
Imprinting
A
A type of learned behaviour with a significant innate component, acquired during a limited critical period (geese firs hrs with Konrad Lorenz)
9
Q
Play
A
As a behaviour has no apparent external goal, but may facilitate social development and neuromuscular development
10
Q
Spatial Learning
A
the modification of behaviour based on the spatial structure of the environment
11
Q
Optimal foraging theory
A
states that natural selection will benefit animals that maximize their energy intake-to-expenditure ratio (i.e. crows dropping shellfish at 5m)
12
Q
Altruistic behaviour
A
decrease individual fitness (altruist), but increase the fitness of others (recipient)
13
Q
How is altruistic behaviour maintained by evolution?
A
- recipient related to altruist
2. altruist keep own genes in the population
14
Q
Inclusive fitness
A
the effect on fitness of reproduction and helping relative raise offspring
15
Q
Reciprocal altruism
A
current altruist benefits in the future when recipient reciprocates (e.g. primate grooming)
16
Q
Eusociality: Sertile castes
A
- are extreme case of altruism
- difficult to reconcile with evolutionary theory
- In bees, wasp and ants: worker females give up reproduction and raise sisters
17
Q
How has eusocial animals evolved such a system?
A
Haplo-diploid genetics: therefore more relatedness of sister to sister than daughter to mother. Females have greater chance on passing on alleles by raising sisters rather than offspring)
18
Q
What is an example of a eusocial mammal?
A
naked mole rates even though they don’t have haply-diploid system but are highly inbred
19
Q
What causes sexual selection?
A
competition over the limiting sex (important component of natural selection)
20
Q
Why are females the limiting resource?
A
Produce larger, more energetically costly gametes where as males produce smaller, less genetically costly gametes
21
Q
How do the sexes increase reproductive success?
A
- Females look for better genes, limit mate access
2. males fertilize anything, always sperm donor
22
Q
Differential reproductive success
A
drives evolution of certain traits and can lead to amplification of those traits
23
Q
Secondary sexual characteristics
A
not directly associated with reproduction
24
Q
Sexual size dimorphism
A
increases as harem size increases - strong combat results
25
Why are testicles so large in the chimp:
sperm competition (promiscuous species)
26
Intrasexual selection
direct competition b/w individuals of same sex for mates (e.g. physical battles - fighting, vocalizations, ritualized displays - often significant risk)
27
Intersexual selection (mate choice)
occurs when females are choosy in selecting a mate (certain features attractive to females like bright colours, exposes male to extra risk)
28
What is the underlying basis of female choice?
Not purely aesthetics, often advertises health of a male
29
Parental investment
1. refers to the time and resources expended for raising of offspring
2. generally lower in males
3. may have higher mating costs (up from)
30
Certainty of paternity
1. can influence male parental care
| 2. unsure of offspring = lower investment
31
Infanticide
intentionally causing the death of an infant by a member of the same species
32
Under what conditions could infanticide be selected for?
Advantage: female want to reproduce again (come into heat - ovulate right away instead of spend all energy on current offspring that is not his)
example: lions when new male takes over pride
33
When is certainty of paternity higher?
External fertilization: 60% show investment but on 7% investment when internal (in fish)
34
What is the worst outcome for males?
investing heavily in offspring that are not yours (monogamy is very rare - only 3% of mammals)
35
Define monogamy
a lasting pair bond b/w one male and one female
36
Monogamy facts
1. seasonal monogamy for birds, rare in mammals
2. cooperation by both parents to raise young successfully
3. male fitness increased by investing in young rather than seek other mates
4. males contribute little in lactating mammals - better to invest energy seeking other mates
37
Why is monogamy rarely perfect>
1. Bird, both sex engage in extra-pair copulations
2. males obvious increase fitness
3. females benefit by having young sired by two or more males
38
Polygamy
1. an individual of one sex mating with two or more individuals of the other sex
2. individual w/ multiple mate not involved in parental care
3. uneven distribution of resources
39
Polygyny
one male mates with multiple female (common)
40
Polyandry
one female mates with multiple males
41
Example of polyandry
1. Phalaropes and sandpipers
2. female compete for males
3. is capable of laying multiple clutches
4. males provide parental care (limiting resource)
42
Biosphere 2
1. Was a disaster! big green house, sealed with 8 volunteers to live for 3 years with no air flow in attempt to produce their own) Lesson learned: biosphere very difficult to replicate
2. CO2 and NOx levels soared and O2 plummeted - 19 to 25 vertebrate went extinct, almost all insects went extinct except for cockroaches
43
Lesson of Easter Island
1. Big mystery - no one knew how they got there, very isolated, big statues
2. Polynesians found island around 400 AD and was in complete isolation for 1200 years
3. carved structure, believed rest of world disappeared below seas
4. large native palm was only tree, used for construction of dugout canoes and to roll statues
5. height of culture about 10,000 ppl
6. Exploitation of resources by 1600 the island was treeless
7. No trees, no canoes, soil erosion
8. 1600s: famine fuels warfare, weapons appear, live in caves, cannibalism
9. pop. collapse to fewer than 1000
10. overexploitation leading to pop. occurred on other islands too
44
Is Easter Island a sign of things to come on greater scale?
1. humans lack environmental failsafe switch
2. evolution has no prepared humans for long-term environmental decisions (limiting pop. growth and resource use require foresight)
45
What does behaviour directly impact?
fitness of individuals, molded by natural selection, influence lifetime reproductive success
46
Innate behaviours
due to genetic programming (environmental diff. does not alter this)
47
Learning
the modification of behaviour resulting from specific experiences (predator-specific alarm calls of primates)
48
Habituation
A loss of responsiveness to unimportant stimuli ("cry-wolf" effect)
49
Maturation
behavioural improvement because of ongoing neuromuscular development
(ez to mistake for innate - hockey player example)
50
Imprinting
A type of learned behaviour with a significant innate component, acquired during a limited critical period (geese firs hrs with Konrad Lorenz)
51
Play
As a behaviour has no apparent external goal, but may facilitate social development and neuromuscular development
52
Spatial Learning
the modification of behaviour based on the spatial structure of the environment
53
Optimal foraging theory
states that natural selection will benefit animals that maximize their energy intake-to-expenditure ratio (i.e. crows dropping shellfish at 5m)
54
Altruistic behaviour
decrease individual fitness (altruist), but increase the fitness of others (recipient)
55
How is altruistic behaviour maintained by evolution?
1. recipient related to altruist
| 2. altruist keep own genes in the population
56
Inclusive fitness
the effect on fitness of reproduction and helping relative raise offspring
57
Reciprocal altruism
current altruist benefits in the future when recipient reciprocates (e.g. primate grooming)
58
Eusociality: Sertile castes
1. are extreme case of altruism
2. difficult to reconcile with evolutionary theory
3. In bees, wasp and ants: worker females give up reproduction and raise sisters
59
How has eusocial animals evolved such a system?
Haplo-diploid genetics: therefore more relatedness of sister to sister than daughter to mother. Females have greater chance on passing on alleles by raising sisters rather than offspring)
60
What is an example of a eusocial mammal?
naked mole rates even though they don't have haply-diploid system but are highly inbred
61
What causes sexual selection?
competition over the limiting sex (important component of natural selection)
62
Why are females the limiting resource?
Produce larger, more energetically costly gametes where as males produce smaller, less genetically costly gametes
63
How do the sexes increase reproductive success?
1. Females look for better genes, limit mate access
| 2. males fertilize anything, always sperm donor
64
Differential reproductive success
drives evolution of certain traits and can lead to amplification of those traits
65
Secondary sexual characteristics
not directly associated with reproduction
66
Sexual size dimorphism
increases as harem size increases - strong combat results
67
Why are testicles so large in the chimp:
sperm competition (promiscuous species)
68
Intrasexual selection
direct competition b/w individuals of same sex for mates (e.g. physical battles - fighting, vocalizations, ritualized displays - often significant risk)
69
Intersexual selection (mate choice)
occurs when females are choosy in selecting a mate (certain features attractive to females like bright colours, exposes male to extra risk)
70
What is the underlying basis of female choice?
Not purely aesthetics, often advertises health of a male
71
Parental investment
1. refers to the time and resources expended for raising of offspring
2. generally lower in males
3. may have higher mating costs (up from)
72
Certainty of paternity
1. can influence male parental care
| 2. unsure of offspring = lower investment
73
Infanticide
intentionally causing the death of an infant by a member of the same species
74
Under what conditions could infanticide be selected for?
Advantage: female want to reproduce again (come into heat - ovulate right away instead of spend all energy on current offspring that is not his)
example: lions when new male takes over pride
75
When is certainty of paternity higher?
External fertilization: 60% show investment but on 7% investment when internal (in fish)
76
What is the worst outcome for males?
investing heavily in offspring that are not yours (monogamy is very rare - only 3% of mammals)
77
Define monogamy
a lasting pair bond b/w one male and one female
78
Monogamy facts
1. seasonal monogamy for birds, rare in mammals
2. cooperation by both parents to raise young successfully
3. male fitness increased by investing in young rather than seek other mates
4. males contribute little in lactating mammals - better to invest energy seeking other mates
79
Why is monogamy rarely perfect>
1. Bird, both sex engage in extra-pair copulations
2. males obvious increase fitness
3. females benefit by having young sired by two or more males
80
Polygamy
1. an individual of one sex mating with two or more individuals of the other sex
2. individual w/ multiple mate not involved in parental care
3. uneven distribution of resources
81
Polygyny
one male mates with multiple female (common)
82
Polyandry
one female mates with multiple males
83
Example of polyandry
1. Phalaropes and sandpipers
2. female compete for males
3. is capable of laying multiple clutches
4. males provide parental care (limiting resource)
84
Biosphere 2
1. Was a disaster! big green house, sealed with 8 volunteers to live for 3 years with no air flow in attempt to produce their own) Lesson learned: biosphere very difficult to replicate
2. CO2 and NOx levels soared and O2 plummeted - 19 to 25 vertebrate went extinct, almost all insects went extinct except for cockroaches
85
Lesson of Easter Island
1. Big mystery - no one knew how they got there, very isolated, big statues
2. Polynesians found island around 400 AD and was in complete isolation for 1200 years
3. carved structure, believed rest of world disappeared below seas
4. large native palm was only tree, used for construction of dugout canoes and to roll statues
5. height of culture about 10,000 ppl
6. Exploitation of resources by 1600 the island was treeless
7. No trees, no canoes, soil erosion
8. 1600s: famine fuels warfare, weapons appear, live in caves, cannibalism
9. pop. collapse to fewer than 1000
10. overexploitation leading to pop. occurred on other islands too
86
Is Easter Island a sign of things to come on greater scale?
1. humans lack environmental failsafe switch
2. evolution has no prepared humans for long-term environmental decisions (limiting pop. growth and resource use require foresight)
