Animal behaviour Flashcards
What is behavior?
Everything in animal does and how it does it it’s part of its phenotype
True or false is behavior, subject to natural selection
True
What is behavioural ecology?
It is a study of how behaviour is controlled, develops, evolves, and contributes to survival and reproductive success
What is the difference between approximate and ultimate explanations for animal behavior?
Approximate causation addresses how a behaviour occurs or is modified
Ultimate causation addresses why a behaviour occurs in the context of natural selection
What two dimensions affect behaviour
Genotype - innate behaviours are under strong genotypic influence
Environment
What are three innate behaviors?
- Kinesis - a change in activity level
- Taxis - a movement oriented towards or away from something.
- Migration - Movement to change location.
What is a signal?
A behaviour that causes the behaviour of another individual to change
True or false do animals communicate?
True communication is defined by the transmission and reception of signals. Animals do communicate.
What are the five ways animals communicate?
- Visual.
- Auditory.
- Chemical orolfactory.
- Tactile.
- Electric signals.
What are chemical signals?
Pheromones chemical substance produced by an animal and access a stimulus to other individuals of the same species for one or more behaviour responses
What term describes chemical signals that affect behaviours within species?
Kairomones
Define learning and describe the types of learning (6)
Learning is a modification of behaviour based on specific experiences
- Imprinting.
- Habituation.
- Spatial learning. (cognitive maps.)
- Associative learning.
- Social learning.
- Cognition and problem-solving.
Is migration direction genetically inherited
Yes
What is optimal forging theory?
That natural selection will favour behaviours at maximize nutrition and minimize the cost of obtaining it
What are the two different kinds of mating systems?
Polygamous and monogamous
What are the two types of polygamous relationships?
Polygyny and polyandry
What does ploy in polyandry lead to?
Dimorphic sexes
What are three methods to try and ensure paternity?
- Mate guarding
- Lots of sperm.
- Removing sperm.
What is agonistic behavior?
Real or ritualized combat
Relative performance is more important than absolute performance
What is Hamilton’s rule in selection?
Quantitative measure for predicting when natural selection would favor, altruistic acts among related individuals
What are the three key variables in altruism?
- Benefit to the recipient.
- Cost to the altruistic.
- Coefficient of relatedness the fraction of genes that on average are shared.
Define kin selection
Natural selection that favours an altruistic behaviour by enhancing reproductive successive relatives
What is reciprocal altruism?
Altruistic acts that are likely to be returned
Present only in animals with stable social groups
