ch. 51 Flashcards
symmetry of male fiddler crabs
asymmetrical: one claw giant, other small
- small claw used for feeding
- large claw sometime waved in air
claw-waving behavior functions
- repels other males
- attracts females
behavior
action carried out by muscles under control of the nervous system
questions that should be asked about animal behavior
- what stimulus elicits behavior, and what physiological mechanisms mediate the response?
- how does the animal’s experience during growth and development influence the response
- how does the behavior aid survival and reproduction?
behavioral ecology
study of ecological basis for animal behavior
- integrates proximate and ultimate explanations for animal behavior
proximate causation
address how a behavior occurs or is modified, including questions 1/2
ultimate causation
addresses why a behavior occurs in the context of natural selection and ecology
fixed action pattern
sequence of unlearned acts directly linked to a simple stimulus
- unchangeable, and once initiated, usually carried to completion
what is a fixed action pattern triggered by
external cue - sign stimulus
3-spined male stickleback fish
stimulus for attack behavior is red underside of an intruder
migration
regular, long-distance change in location
during migration, animals orient themselves using their position relative to
- the sun - use circadian clock
- the North star
- Earth’s magnetic field
circadian rhythm
daily cycle of rest and activity
what are behaviors such as migration and reproduction linked to
changing seasons, or circannual rhythm
- periods of daylight/darkness common in seasonal cues
lunar cycles
affect tidal movements
signal
stimulus transmitted from one organism to another
communication
transmission and reception of signals between animals
how do animals communicate
visual, chemical, tactile, and auditory signals
3-step stimulus response chain of fruit fly courtship
- male identifies female of same species and orients toward her - visual (sees) and chemical (smells) communication
- male alerts female of his presence - tactile (touches)
- male produces courtship song to inform the female of his species - auditory
how do honeybees show complex communication
symbolic language
waggle dance of bee returning from field
communicates info about distance and direction of a food source
- angle of straight run of dance relative to vertical surface of hive indicates direction
- length of straight run and number of abdominal waggles shows distance to food
- if food less than 50 m away, bee moves in tight circles while moving abdomen side to side
what do animals that communicated through odors/tastes emit
chemical substances called pheromones
innate behavior
developmentally fixed and doesn’t vary among ind.
cross-fostering study
places young from one species in care of adults from another species in similar environment
twin studies
allow researchers to compare relative influences of genetics and environment on behavior
learning
modification of behavior based on the specific experiences
does nature or nurture shape learning and behavior?
both
imprinting
establishment of long-lasting behavioral response to a particular ind. or object
when can imprinting take place
sensitive period - during specific time in development
sensitive period in gulls
1-2 days, offspring and parents must bond or parent will reject offspring
waterfowl and mothers
identify with first object they encounter that has key characteristics
spatial learning
establishment of a memory that reflects the environment’s spatial structure
spatial learning of digger wasps
use landmarks to find nest entrances
cognitive map
internal representation of spatial relationships between objects in an animal’s surroundings