Behavioural Ecology Flashcards
Behavioural Ecology
Male lions kill cubs
Behavioural psychology: the study of behaviour
Genetics of aggression
Aggression within context is normal
Proximate causes:
(immediate) or how the behaviour occurs
Ultimate causes:
why the behaviour occurs; the evolutionary and historical reasons
Ex; puppy dog eyes why does the behaviour occur and its evolutionary history
What about Complex behaviour?
The genes that built a home
The tunnel can thought of as an extended phenotype of the field mouse
Can also look at the behaviour through the tunnel
Oldfield mouse
Nest
Escape tunnel - doesn’t go all the way just to the top of the surface
Has a bit of complexity
Deer mouse
Simple tunnel
Simple nest
Breed with old field mice
F1 generation mate and produces an F2 generation producing a 50/50 simple of a simple tunnel and a complex tunnel
Evolutionary Progress
No evolutionary progress its evolutionary selection that occurs on the progress
Environment determines this
Key concept 2 - Behaviours
Animals make behavioural choices that enhance their energy gain and reduce their risk of becoming prey
Evolution and evolutionary thinking closely linked to economics
Animals will maximize profitability
Visual
Mathematical
Conceptual
Still gaining energy after optimal point
DO NOT NEED TO STUDY THE MARGINAL VALUE THEORY
Optimal Foraging Theory:
Animals will maximize the amount of energy gained per unit of feeding time (profitability), and minimize the risks involved
This does not apply well to animals that eat mobile prey
The assumption that energy is in short supply and that this dictates foraging behaviour may not always hold
Resources other than energy can be important, such as nitrogen or sodium content of food
Animals might not conform to models as evolution is not perfect
Key Concept 3 - Behaviours
Mating behaviours reflect the costs and benefits of parental investment and mate defence
