5. Behavior Conservation

Question 1

where did behavior ecology emerge from

Answer 1

from the combination of evolutionary biology with classical ethology

Question 2

where did behavior conservation emerge from

Answer 2

from the combination of behavioral ecology and conservation biology

Question 3

what does conservation biology focus on

Answer 3

population level variables and not behavior

Question 4

what are the two exceptions to the use of behavior in conservation

Answer 4

Captive breeding involved understanding of behavioral idiosyncrasy; Species reintroduction where survival depended on behavior

Question 5

how can behavior help conservation

Answer 5

Habitat requirements of species; Reduced predation; Mating sexual selection; Reintroduction schemes; Measuring stress and health; Exploitation

Question 6

Five reasons for application of ethology/behavioral ecology in conservation research

Answer 6

Not considered as rigorous as a subject; cultural separation between the fields; patterns of funding reinforce separation of cultural divisions; technically difficult to combine two areas of research

Question 7

what is ontogeny

Answer 7

behavioral development

Question 8

what are two ontological elements with direct bearing on restoration projects

Answer 8

acquiring anti-predator responses and imprinting

Question 9

how do animals acquire anti-predator responses

Answer 9

animals are pre-exposed to predators before reintroduction

Question 10

how does imprinting have a direct bearing on restoration projects

Answer 10

animals reared in isolation face survival challenges; filial and sexual imprinting to humans in captive species

Question 11

what are examples of imprinting in restoration projects

Answer 11

condor chicks fed with hand puppets; whooping crane reintroduction

Question 12

what are conceptual links between behavior and conservation

Answer 12

proximate mechanisms of behavior; hormonal effects; interference of sensory modalities

Question 13

what are hormonal effects in conservation

Answer 13

stress hormones and reproductive hormones effects in wildlife conservation; hormonal therapies to enhance low reproductive rates in captive and wild populations

Question 14

what is interference of sensory modalities in conservation

Answer 14

environmental pollution detrimental to migration and orientation

Question 15

what are examples of interference of sensory modalities

Answer 15

phototaxis in hatching sea turtles ensures orientation toward water, but artificial lighting interferes with behavioral process

Question 16

why is the design of the wildlife reserve important

Answer 16

it affects the survival of the species

Question 17

what are the three criteria for how behavior apply to conservation

Answer 17

How behavior varies in response to social or environmental factors; How this variation changes the way a population responds to exploitation or restoration projects; How management alters the conservation program as a consequence

Question 18

what are the three classes of impediment between behavior and conservation

Answer 18

conceptual; social problems; institutional problems

Question 19

what is the conceptual impediment between behavior and conservation

Answer 19

Differential emphasis on individual vs. population variables; Many interesting behavior have little impact on species survival

Question 20

what is the social problems impediment between behavior and conservation

Answer 20

Conservationist view behavioral approaches as time consuming and difficult for the rapid needs involved in conservation; Interest in behavioral approaches to conservation is higher in students than faculty that all too often fail to bridge the gap between disciplines; Few intellectually rich areas have developed, few well-worked studies have been published

Question 21

what is the institutional problems impediment between behavior and conservation

Answer 21

Separate cultures of sciences; Lack of interaction in professional settings; Distinct sources of funding for behavior and conservation

Question 22

what is an emerging sub-discipline in social science that is concerned with human/nature interactions

Answer 22

Conservation psychology

Question 23

what are the four research findings that illustrate the challenges of changing human behavior

Answer 23

education does not typically result in increases in conservation behavior; human thinking is biased and promotes short-sighted responses to environmental threats; individuals generally perceive themselves as separate from nature; social norms guide behavior

Question 24

what are the strongest barriers to integration of the social sciences in conservation biology

Answer 24

the lack of common vocabulary between biologists and social scientists; the fact that traditional academic reward systems discourage interdisciplinary collaboration and applied problem solving;
the lack of funding for collaborative work; limited opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration