Behavioral Ecology Flashcards
What is the Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT)?
OFT helps predict how an animal will behave when searching for food.
Animals make behavioral choices that enhance energy gain and reduce risk of predation. Animals should invest time obtaining highest-quality food that is the shortest distance away if energy is in short supply
What is the meaning of the equation P= E/t ?
Profitability = energy obtained from food/time spent obtaining food
What is the Marginal Value Theorem?
An animal should stay in a patch until the rate of energy gain has declined to match the average rate for the whole habitat (the giving up time)
Giving up time is also influenced by distance between patches, and energy within a patch
What do A, B, and C represent?
A - travel time between patches
B - optimal giving up times
C - resources have deminished, the energy gain flattens out
sexual selection
individuals with certain characteristics gain an advantage over others of the same sex solely to maintain mating success.
T or F
sexual selection can favor disadvantages
True
Does sexual selection affect an individual’s fitness or a population’s fitness?
sexual selection affects an individual’s fitness
Handicap Hypothesis
if a Male has adornments, these are a detriment to their fitness. If the Male can survive with that detriment, they must have good genes
Sexy Son Hypothesis
Female wants to create offspring that other individuals find attractive to increase her own fitness
What are some direct benefits provided by a male to a female for mating?
courtship feeding, paternity assurance (i.e. male protecting offspring)
advantages/disadvantages to living in groups
Benefits: caretakers for offspring, protection from predators, higher reproductive success
Drawbacks: competition for resources, easier spread of disease, social competition
