6. intraspecific relationships

Question 1

what is a territory?

Answer 1

the defended area where an animal lives (within a home range)

Question 2

what is a home range?

Answer 2

an extended area beyond the territory where animals forage for food

Question 3

what is a lek?

Answer 3

the area where animals come together to perform mating displays and attract mates for breeding

Question 4

one benefit/disadvantage of a lek?

Answer 4

+ increases successful breeding and selecs for favourable alleles and - large group is vulnerable to predators

Question 5

what is a niche?

Answer 5

the physical and biological factors a ppopulation occupies in its habitat

Question 6

gauses law…

Answer 6

no two species with the same ecological niche can co-exist indefinitely: one species will outcompete the other to either undergo a change in ecological niche or become extinct

Question 7

3 benefits of living in a group?

Answer 7

1. safety in numbers= group defence
2. proximity = choice of mates
3. specialisation and distribution of tasks
4. cooperative feeding and hunting
5. increased locomotion efficiency (v formation)
6. work together to raise young = inc survival

Question 8

3 drawbacks of living in a group?

Answer 8

1. increased sickness and disease
2. increased vulnerability to predators
3. increased competition for food, mates, space, and resources

Question 9

what are the benefits of territories?

Answer 9

1. safe place to court, mate or rear young
2. enough food to survive and breed
3. become familiar with the area - space, food, shelter
   = species survival increases as increases reproductive success

Question 10

how are territories defended?

Answer 10

1. marking or signalling by scent
2. threat displays
3. fighting

Question 11

what kind of agonisitc behaviour exists in intraspecific relationships?

Answer 11

ritualised fighting to show strength = this reduces chances or injury or death (which is unsettling and counterproductive)

Question 12

what is a hierachy?

Answer 12

a ranking system within a population in which the strongest members are the most dominant

Question 13

advantages to hierachies (list 3)

Answer 13

1. high rank individuals are the first to feed and mate
2. dominant males have more offspring than subordinates = pass on beneficial alleles to the next gen and produce a more “fit” population to inc survival rates
3. protection from an alpha from predators
4. group can locate and share food together

Question 14

2 types of hierachy…

Answer 14

1. linear: from most dominant to submissive
2. complex: controlled by an alpha but groups within (subordinates, bonding pairs, families, labour groups)

Question 15

how do animals maintain their rank in a hierachy?

Answer 15

positions are maintained by posture and displays - e.g. dominant stand tall, expose teeth and submissive avoid eye contact and stoop lower

Question 16

how else do organisms distrubute resources?

Answer 16

dispersal = young are dispersed far away from parents to minimise competition
juvenilles and adults occupy different niches e.g. butterfly and caterpillar

Question 17

what is monogamy?

Answer 17

one mate for a breeding season

Question 18

what is polygamy?

Answer 18

more than one mate in each breeding season

Question 19

when is monogamy used?

Answer 19

if full commitment from each parent is required to raise young in a harsh envrionment

Question 20

when is polygamy used?

Answer 20

when parents can independently raise/or not raise young = increases reproductive fitness

Question 21

what is the r strategy with benefit/disadvantage?

Answer 21

producing a large number of offspring (not reared)
+ low energy input for a large number of offspring
- many offspring die of starvation or predation and are less developed

Question 22

what is the k strategy with benefit/disadvantage?

Answer 22

raising a few offspring (reared by parents)
+ offspring more likely to survive and learn beneficial survival skills
- takes significant energy input from parents

Question 23

what is courtship?

Answer 23

behaviour in animals that initially attracts or is a prelude to mating. Feamles select for stronger or more dominant males which indicates their ability to provide better alleles and care/protect offspring.

Question 24

list the pros of courtship (3 of each)

Answer 24

1. ensures species recognition
2. attracts mates from a distance
3. enhances natural selection
4. establishes pair bonds
5. ensures psysiological readiness
   = females selecte the strongest mates who will pass on favourable alleles = maintains a ‘fit’ pop.

Question 25

list the cons of courtship (3 of each)

Answer 25

1. males become injured or hurt
2. attracts predators
3. requires significant energy and time (not enough energy left for breeding)

Question 26

give some examples of courtship rituals…

Answer 26

+ singing or flight displays in birds
+ male peacock displays colourful feathers
+ moths release a chemical (pheremone)
+ humpback whale calls
+ spiders vibrate their webs