Animal behaviour Flashcards
What is animal behaviour?
actions with which organisms interact with the external world
Define some actions in which organisms interact with the external world
-Reproduction (sexual selection, parental mate choice).
- Foraging (patch choice, diet etc.)
-Survival (predator avoidance)
-Sociality (solitary/group living, cooperation, conflict, communication).
Define Ethology
the study of animal behaviour in a natural setting
What are Tinbergen’s four questions used for?
they provide a framework for understanding various aspects of animal behaviour
What are Tinbergen’s 4 questions? What was this framework used to do?
-Causation
-Development
-Evolution
-Functional significance
-used to analyse behaviour in animals
Name one of the “Three Fs of Animal Behaviour”
Foraging, reproduction or survival
Define causation
the mechanism through which a behaviour is achieved
Why is studying animal behaviour important?
to understand an animal’s interaction with the environment and has relevance across many fields
Who were the 3 scientists awarded the Nobel Prize in 1973 for their work in ethology?
-Tinbergen
-Lorenz
-von Frisch
How did Charles Henry Turner contribute to the study of animal behaviour?
He conducted research on ant navigation and the first systematic training experiments with honeybees involving pattern recognition.
Define Focal sampling
A method of observational sampling focusing on one individual or sub-group.
What is an example of a behaviour investigated by Jane Goodall?
Tool use in chimpanzees
What did Goodall’s research prompt?
comparative analysis of literature on the relationship between brain size and innovative behaviour in primates
-cognitive abilities across species
Describe Fossey’s research?
habituated gorillas to her presence by exhibiting their behaviours
e.g.) grunting noises, averting gaze
What are observational sampling methods?
Techniques developed to eliminate bias in observing behaviours, such as those by Jeanne Altmann.
How did Altmann classify behaviours?
-Events –> instantaneous
-States–> appreciable duration
What did her sample session compose of?
-predetermined time
-fixed across days
-predetermined criteria
Name some modern ways of studying animal behaviour
-drone footage and unique marking identified by machine learning
-barcode markings for downstream automated behavioural coding
Name Tinbergen’s 4 questions and expand on them
FUNCTION–> What is it for?
DEVELOPMENT–> How did it develop within the lifetime of the individual
EVOLUTION–> How did it evolve over the history of the species?
CAUSATION–> How does it work?
Use the Blackbirds to answer these questions
F: to attract females
D: learnt songs from parents
E: descend from ancestral species which also sang
C: increasing day length alters hormone levels
What is functional significance?
the current adaptive value of a behaviour
How does behaviour increase survival and reproductive success?
By allowing organisms to adapt to their environments and respond to ecological pressures.
Name some metrics used to measure behaviour
-Time
-Duration
-Latency
Describe the role of unique markings in studying animal behaviour
help in identifying individuals for tracking and observing behaviours.
What is a method used to track animals through electronic tagging?
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tagging
What does behavioural ecology study?
The study of adaptations in behaviour and the selective pressures that yield these adaptations.
What are the assumptions of behavioural ecology?
that behaviour is optimal/ adapted, shaped by natural selection
What is ‘ad libitum’ observation?
A biased observational method where researchers observe as much as possible without structured criteria. (Altmann)
Define sociality
The aspect of animal behaviour related to group living, cooperation, and conflict.
What type of behaviours can be classified in animal behaviour studies?
Events (instantaneous) and states (appreciable duration).
