Animal Behaviour

Question 1

What are Tinbergen’s 4 questions?

Answer 1

1. Why does the animal do the behaviour?
2. How has the behaviour changed over evolutionary time?
3. How does the behaviour change with age and experience?
4. What factors lead to that behaviour happening at that time

Question 2

What are the answers to these questions?

Answer 2

1. Function
2. Evolution
3. Ontogeny (development)
4. Mechanistic

Question 3

What are 3 proximate mechanisms?

Answer 3

• Genetic/developmental mechanisms
• Effect of heredity on behaviour
• Sensory-motor mechanisms

Question 4

Give 2 examples of ultimate causes?

Answer 4

• Events occurring over evolution from origin of trait to present
• Selective processes shaping the history of behaviour

Question 5

What is filial imprinting?

Answer 5

First day/two after after hatching/birth, only during a “sensitive period”

Question 6

What is sexual imprinting?

Answer 6

Young animal forms an association with the species and sex it will direct its sexual behaviour towards as an adult

Question 7

What are the 3 different types of imprinting cues and which animals use them?

Answer 7

1. Visual cues - precocial birds
2. Auditory cues - sea birds (large colonies)
3. Olfactory cues - mammals, salmon

Question 8

Why is imprinting easy to study?

Answer 8

• one off and short lived
• know exactly when it will happen
• clear to see

Question 9

Why are the most extreme mating displays generally male?

Answer 9

• difference in investment, males have many gametes

- females have lower reproductive mate and so must select amongst males to secure higher fitness

Question 10

What is runaway selection?

Answer 10

The selections of males that are sexually attractive

Question 11

Describe an example of satellite males

Answer 11

Bluegill sunfish

• territorial male guards a nest to attract females
• little sneaker (with female colouring) waits until territorial male releases sperm to release his

Question 12

What 4 key reproductive decisions are controlled by females?

Answer 12

1. Egg investment
2. Mate choice
3. Egg fertilisation (which sperm)
4. Offspring investment (maintenance into offspring)

Question 13

What 4 key reproductive decisions are controlled by males?

Answer 13

1. Resources transferred to female
2. Elaborate courtship
3. Sexual coercion
4. Infanticide

Question 14

What is polyandry?

Answer 14

Where female has multiple mates and males guard the offspring

Question 15

Why do North Eastern crows only pick up large whelks and drop them multiple times at 5m until they break?

Answer 15

Zach (1979)

1. Large whelks are more likely to shatter than small whelks
2. Over 5m height does not improve breakage
3. Probability of breakage is independent of number of times dropped

Question 16

Why do large leaf cutter ants only forage at night?

Answer 16

Danger of parasitic fly during the day

=> trade off energy gain for longer foraging life of valuable larger workers

Question 17

How do osprey nesting colonies act as information sites?

Answer 17

• when an osprey returns with prey many ospreys go in a similar direction
• informed ospreys take less time to capture prey

Question 18

How do wolf group sizes determine optimum prey?

Answer 18

Large groups (10-12) better at catching bison, small groups better at catching elk

Question 19

What are the ways in which groups can avoid predation?

Answer 19

• increased vigilance
• dilution effect (less likely to be you)
• confusion effect
• mobbing (drive away predator)

Question 20

What is the function of slotting/pronking?

Answer 20

Advertising the ability to run faster than predator/unprofitability

Question 21

What are the advantages of being rare?

Answer 21

Predator does not recognise as prey or food

Question 22

How can animals pretend to be rare?

Answer 22

• difference in predator/prey activity times/seasons
• hiding
• seasonal changes in colour patterns
• polymorphism

Question 23

Name 2 other methods of avoiding predation

Answer 23

1. Immobility/crypsis

2. Masquerade as different objects

Question 24

What 2 methods can animals use to avoid attack?

Answer 24

Aposematism - conspicuoussness + distastefulness

Batesian mimicry - mimicking unpalatable animal