chapter 12: Antipredator behaviors

Question 1

what does the life-dinner principle state? how is this related to selection pressure differences between predators and their prey?

Answer 1

prey are running for their lives, and predators are running for a meal; related to selection pressures because the selection pressure on prey to not get eaten is higher than it is on the predator to get its food

Question 2

What are the two broad categories of antipredator behaviors we discussed?

Answer 2

• those that help prey avoid detection
• those that help prey survive when they are detected

Question 3

crypsis/ camoflage

Answer 3

avoiding detection by blending in with background

Question 4

freezing behavior

Answer 4

reducing noise can allow prey to avoid being detected by a predator

Question 5

eavesdrop

Answer 5

listen for sounds that prey produce or prey listens for sounds that predators produce and then respond accordingly

Question 6

aposematism

Answer 6

using bright colors to warn predators that you are unpalatable or dangerous

Question 7

batesian mimicry

Answer 7

a harmless species imitates a toxic or threatening species to avoid being eaten

Question 8

Mullerian mimicry

Answer 8

multiple toxic/ threatening species have simular warning coloration to reinforce their warning signals to preadors

Question 9

stotting

Answer 9

stiff- legged jumping with all 4 legs off ground, they also do this when the

Question 10

flight initiation distance

Answer 10

the distance a predator can approch beore a prey flees

Question 11

long FID

Answer 11

you didn’t get close at all before the animal fled

Question 12

short FID

Answer 12

you got really close before the prey decided to flee

Question 13

what are the 4 mechanisms/ reasons an animal flees?

Answer 13

1. distance from home
2. animals involved in other activites
3. previous experience with that predator
4. preception of risk

Question 14

distance from home

Answer 14

prey fees sooner the farther they are from home

Question 15

animals involved in other activites

Answer 15

animals involved in mating foraging etc. were slower to flee

Question 16

previous experience

Answer 16

animals that had seen that predator before and had a bad encounter are more likely to flee sooner

Question 17

preception of risk is influenced by

Answer 17

• features of prey
• size
• body armor

Question 18

what are the benefits of choosing to mob a predator?

Answer 18

deter brood parsites form nests, threat is passed to next generations thoug cultural transmission