Animal Behaviour Research Methods

Question 1

What is animal behaviour?

Answer 1

All observable responses that an individual gives to external or internal stimuli that allows us to make inferences on behaviour which links back to what the animal perceives of its state at that particular time.

Question 2

What is the difference between state and event behaviours and what are these based on?

Answer 2

State- long duration
Event- short duration
They can be recorded simultaneously and are based on the importance of a behaviour to an individual

Question 3

What are bouts?

Answer 3

Groupings of events into a set pattern e.g. courtship rituals, short behaviours that occur in sequences- if we always see these in the same way, they change from something discrete to something more explicit

Question 4

What are time-activity budgets comprised of?

Answer 4

Energy and motivation

Question 5

What can behaviour tell us about coping in animals?

Answer 5

Welfare, which we can infer via behavioural observation.

Question 6

What is the difference between scan and focal sampling?

Answer 6

Scan- group
Focal- individual

Question 7

What are the four main types of sampling?

Answer 7

Focal
Scan
Behavioural
Event

Question 8

What are the three main types of recording?

Answer 8

Continuous
Instantaneous
One zero

Question 9

How can a researcher decide if continuous or instantaneous sampling should be used?

Answer 9

Energy of an animal and their ecology e.g. continuous may be a better approach for big cats whereas continuous may be better for an animal that requires instantaneous

Question 10

What are the three R’s in animal ethics used by observers? (Russell and Birch)

Answer 10

Reduction- reducing the amount of animals needed for statistical comparison- although this can go both ways e.g. if you reduce the sample too much and then realise later on that you need more, you have wasted the first sample

Refinement- making sure this is the best species to use for your research- why do you need to use a primate specifically? can you use a mouse instead? or a computer model? following the hierarchy of subjects

Replacement- what can you adapt? e.g. using trail cameras or livestreams instead of in person observation

Question 11

Identify elements of a behavioural checklist for recording

Answer 11

1. Have you identified your research question?
2. Do you have an aim and or a hypothesis?
3. Do you know what species will be the best to test your hypothesis on?
4. What is your species likely to do and when are they likely to do it?
5. Have you constructed an ethogram with clear definitions of behaviour?
6. How much time will you need to spend observing your population?