Chapter 51 Flashcards
ethology
study of behavior
Behavioral Ecology
study of behavior (as in adaptation) in the context of ecology (the present) and evolution (over time).
Proximate Cause
triggered by environmental, genetics, physiological, and anatomical mechanisms
Ultimate Causes
focuses on the evolutionary significance and why natural selection favors this behavior.
innate behavior
under strong genetic influence (not learned)
fixed action pattern
sequence of innate behaviors; carried to completion once initiated by a sign stimulus (external sensory trigger)
imprinting
specific learned behavior with a significant innate component, acquired during a sensitive period (critical development stage)
signal
behavior in an animal that causes a change in another’s behavior
communication
transmission, reception, and response to signals- visuals, audio, chemical, tactile and electrical cues
pheromone
a secreted or excreted chemical signal for communication; acts much like a hormone to influence physiology/ behavior
Examples of pheromone
courtship & mating, quorum sensing, kin recognition, aggression, trail marking, alarm signaling, territorial
promiscuous
no strong pair bonds or lasting relationships
monogamous
one male mating with one female
polygamous
individual of one sex mating with several from the other
territory
area, usually fixed in location, that individuals defend against other members of the same species
total range
covered by individual or group during lifetime
home range
used by individual or group on a regular basis
agonistic behavior
includes a variety of threats or actual combat that settles disputed between individuals in population (over resources; mate)
dominance hierarchy
ranking of individuals based on social interactions
altruism
reduce on fitness to increase that of another
kin selection
altruistic behavior towards close kin
inclusive fitness
total effect an individual has on proliferating its genes (own offspring or close kin)
coefficient of relatedness
probability of two individuals that share the same parent or ancestor, a particular gene will be shared
eusocial societies
extremely altruistic colonies (bees, ants, termites, naked mole rates) recently been applied to humans
Behavior
everything an animal does; how and why?
Ecology
study of interactions of organisms with each other and their physical environment
Biotic Components
Organisms that are apart of the environment
Abiotic Components
nonliving chemical and physical factors
Ecological Niche
its role and position a species has in its environment
Biosphere
global ecosystem; entire portion of earth that is inhabited by life
Biome
one of the worlds major ecosystems, classified according to the predominate vegetation and characterized by adaptations of organisms of that particular environment
ex. tundra, desert
Ecotone
region of integration between biomes; often rich with unusual combinations of native organisms
estuary
where freshwater mouth meets ocean
- enriched in nutrients
- salinity gradient
- often abused with development, run-off, landfill
Eutrophication
aquatic systems released from nutrient limitations can be too productive; algae “bloom” can result in red tides, fish kills and hypoxic dead zones
population ecology
populations in relation to environment
immigration
add new individuals from other populations
emigration
movement of individuals out of a population
dispersal
movement of individuals from centers of high population or from area of origin
Demography
vital statistics of a population over time
survivorship curve
plot of proportion in cohort still alive at each age
Type I
Death rate increases with age
Type II
death rate constant for all ages
Type III
Death rate high at young age
Exponential growth
geometric increase in unlimited conditions
Carrying Capacity
Max. population size that an environment can support
Logistic population growth
per capita rate of increase declines as carrying capacity is approached
Trade offs
when energy, nutrients, time are used for one thing they cannot be used for another
K-selection
density-dependent selection, for certain population life centered around having fewer offspring that have good chance of survival
R-selection
density-independent selection, for certain populations a high reproductive rate is key to fitness
sustainable resource management
harvesting without damaging the resource
maximum sustained yield
harvesting at a level that produces a constant yield without forcing a population into decline
