animal systems Flashcards
What type of stress response involves the adrenal medulla? The adrenal cortex? What class of hormones is involved in each type of response?
adrenal medulla: short term stress, where the flight or fight system is activated, and norepinephrine and epinephrine
- increase heart rate, blood pressure,
adrenal cortex: long term stress
- release cortisol
What pathway regulates the fight or flight response? What hormones are involved? What do they do?
sympathetic nervous system
Norepinephrine and epinephrine
they increase heart rate, energy, blood pressure
Know the releasing hormones and anterior pituitary hormones involved in steroid hormone release from the adrenal cortex. What is released from the adrenal cortex?
What does this hormone do?
glucocortoids (cortisol)
- break down proteins and fats and convert to glucose
-surpress immune system
-inhibit reproduction and growth
What is the main glucocorticoid that is released in humans? What about birds and rats?
cortisol in humans
corticosterone in birds and rats
How is the stress response adaptive? Why is stress sometimes harmful?
adaptive: make glucose available and move it to needed sections
increase alertness
braking immune systems
stop sperm and egg development
it can be harmful because it can cause fatigue, mess with memory, pause immune system, bad for reporduction system
What do behavioral ecologists study? How is the success of a behavior measured by behavioral ecologists?
they study how behaviors contributes to differential survival and reproduction of organisms
success of a behavior is paassing down your genes
What are proximate causes of behavior? What are ultimate causes of behavior?
proximate: what trigger the behavior, genetic/physical contributers, role of experience
ultimate: how does behavior porduce reproductive sucess
What is innate behavior? What is a fixed action pattern (FAP)? What is a sign stimulus?
innate behavior: behavior that requires no learning and is under strong genetic influence
FAP: a sequence of innate behaviors were once triggered, have to be carried to completion
sign stimulus: something that triggers a FAP
Sign stimuli can be sent through what sensory modalities (e.g., visual system, auditory system…)?
visual, auditory, chemical, vibrations, tactile, electrical
Can FAPs be shaped by learning?
yes
Behavior results from a mix of __________ and ___________
genes, environment
What is involved in birdsong learning?
genetics and learning
they are genetically programmed to learn by will only respond with songs to the correct songs heard
Define the 3 mechanisms animals use to find locations in the environment. Which is the simplest? Which is the most complex?
- piloting: movement of animals from one familiar landmark to another
2.orientation: movement across a compass line
3.navigation: use compass line to determine where they are relative to their destination
piloting most simple
navigation most complex
What are limitations associated with piloting?
- typically only used for short distances (require familiarity)
-not useful over night or over ocean
-only works if landmarks are stationary
What mechanism is used by monarch butterflies during migration?
orientation
What are 2 stimuli that animals (including butterflies) can use for a compass?
sun, earth’s magnetic field
What does the internal clock have to do with one of these compasses?
internal compass needed to keep track of position of the sun, since it changes over time
What are limitations associated with orientation?
with only a compass, if you get blown off track you can’t find your way again
What does an animal need to navigate?
compass and cognitive map
What is a cognitive map? What are some cues on which the map can be based?
cognitive map: a mental map of spatial relations between objects
can be based off earth’s magnetic field, landmarks, sounds, odors
Which mechanism of location finding allows an animal to correct its direction of travel if it is displaced?
navigation
What is communication?
use of specifically designed signals to modify the behaviors of others
How do bees symbolically communicate the location of food to other foragers?
they do a waggle dance to communicate the direction and distance of food from the hive
What are considered the primary functions of communication for most animals?
attract mates, repel rivals
