Chapter 55: Behavioral Ecology (Book Questions)

Question 1

The study of how behavior contributes to the differential survival and reproduction of organisms is called behavioral ________.

Answer 1

ecology

Question 2

Specific genetic and physiological mechanisms that produce a behavior are called _____ causes of the behavior.

Multiple choice question.

ultimate

proximate

definite

approximate

Answer 2

proximate

Question 3

Which of the following would be a proximate cause of behavior?

Multiple choice question.

Increased nerve stimulation

Decreased number of offspring

Increased ability to mate

Increased survival

Answer 3

Increased nerve stimulation

Question 4

Male deer fight to determine which deer will mate with the most female deer and pass on their genes. This is an example of:

Multiple choice question.

an ultimate cause of behavior

a proximate cause of behavior

Answer 4

an ultimate cause of behavior

Question 5

True or false: Behavior may be influenced by both genetics and the environment.

True false question.
True
False

Answer 5

True

Question 6

The observable response of organisms to external or internal stimuli is called ________

Answer 6

behavior

Question 7

Question Mode
Multiple Choice Question
What type of behavior is genetically programmed?

Multiple choice question.

Instantaneous

Innate

Innervated

Individual

Answer 7

Innate

Question 8

Multiple Choice Question
The modification of behavior based on prior experience is called:

Multiple choice question.

adjustment behavior

a fixed action pattern

learning

navigation

innate behavior

Answer 8

learning

Question 9

An ultimate cause of behavior would be:

Multiple choice question.

Increased number of offspring

Gene for increased aggression

Increased response of pituitary gland

Decreased day length

Answer 9

Increased number of offspring

Question 10

Which below is an example of cognitive learning?

Multiple choice question.

A chimp strips leaves off twigs to use to poke into and retrieve ants from their nests.

A goose rolls an egg back into its nest.

A rat presses a lever repeatedly for a food treat.

A blue jay avoids eating a certain insect that it found noxious in the past.

Answer 10

A chimp strips leaves off twigs to use to poke into and retrieve ants from their nests.

Question 11

Birds sing to attract a mate. This is an example of:

Multiple choice question.

a proximate cause of behavior

an ultimate cause of behavior

imprinting

Answer 11

an ultimate cause of behavior

Question 12

Which below is an example of the role of both genetics and learning in behavior?

Multiple choice question.

Chimps stack boxes to reach bananas hanging from a hook

A goose rolls an egg-shaped stone into her nest without ever watching another goose do this

White-crowned sparrows learn to sing full adult song only with an adult to listen to

Blue jays avoid insects that tasted noxious

Answer 12

White-crowned sparrows learn to sing full adult song only with an adult to listen to

Question 13

How do genes influence behavior?

Multiple choice question.

There is no evidence that genes influence behavior.

Behaviors may be influenced by one or more genes.

Most behaviors can be attributed to variation in a single gene.

Answer 13

Behaviors may be influenced by one or more genes.

Question 14

Continual movement within a habitat to find food, water, or nesting sites is called _______, whereas seasonal movement to breeding or wintering grounds is called _______.

Multiple choice question.

migration; kinesis

local migration; long-distance movement

kinesis; migration

local movement; migration

Answer 14

local movement; migration

Question 15

The simplest form of ________ is habituation.

Answer 15

learning

Question 16

Movement in response to stimuli that is not directed toward or away from the source of the stimulus is called __________.

Answer 16

kinesis

Question 17

The ability to solve problems with conscious thought is _______ learning

Answer 17

cognitive

Question 18

Which below is true for most behaviors?

Multiple choice question.

Entirely due to genetics

Entirely due to learning

Influenced by both genetics and learning

Influenced by neither genetics nor learning

Answer 18

Influenced by both genetics and learning

Question 19

The act of searching for food or provisions is called ________

Answer 19

foraging

Question 20

Optimal foraging theory predicts that animals feed in such a way as to:

Multiple choice question.

maximize net energy intake

maximize risk of predation

spend as much time as possible feeding

minimize net energy intake

Answer 20

maximize net energy intake

Question 21

The regular back and forth movement of animals between two geographic areas at particular times of the year is:

Multiple choice question.

local movement

search for mate

migration

search for nest

Answer 21

migration

Question 22

Kinesis is best defined as which of the following?

Multiple choice question.

A specific stimulus that initiates a behavioral sequences that typically occur in a fixed stereotyped fashion

A responsive movement either toward or away from an external stimulus

A movement that is a response to a stimulus but is not oriented with respect to the source of stimulation

Answer 22

A movement that is a response to a stimulus but is not oriented with respect to the source of stimulation

Question 23

An area that an individual defends and from which other members of the same species are usually excluded is called a(n):

Multiple choice question.

landmark

home or nest

territory

community

Answer 23

territory

Question 24

Migration involves the movement of animals:

Multiple choice question.

from one region to another in search of breeding or overwintering grounds

across short distances in search of a mate and nesting site

usually less than a hundred miles from their nesting sites to obtain food or water

within their habitat to find food or water

Answer 24

from one region to another in search of breeding or overwintering grounds

Question 25

_______ involves using signals or displays to modify the behavior of other individuals.

Multiple choice question.

Habituation

Eusociality

Communication

Imprinting

Answer 25

Communication

Question 26

The concept that an animal seeks to obtain the most energy possible by expending the least amount of energy is called _________ __________

Answer 26

optimal foraging

Question 27

Multiple Select Question
Select all that apply

The two most common uses of chemical communication among animals include ____.

Multiple select question.

deterring competitors

strengthening social bonds

attracting food sources

marking territories

attracting mates

marking the location of a predator

Answer 27

marking territories

attracting mates

Question 28

An area of land that a group of twenty to thirty lions hunt, mate, and defend is an example of a ______

Answer 28

territory

Question 29

Courtship songs produced by some animals are examples of using ______ communication to attract mates.

Multiple choice question.

chemical

visual

tactile

auditory

Answer 29

auditory

Question 30

Multiple Select Question
Select all that apply

Select examples of how visual communication is often used by animals.

Multiple select question.

to identify nest sites

to produce haploid males

during aggressive displays

in courtship

Answer 30

during aggressive displays

in courtship

Question 31

_______ communication is often used to strengthen social bonds, especially among primates, canines, and felines.

Multiple choice question.

Visual

Tactile

Chemical

Answer 31

Tactile

Question 32

Decreased predator success, better access to mates, assistance rearing offspring are all _______.

Multiple choice question.

advantages of being eusocial

advantages of group living

advantages of polygamy

advantages of being a solitary individual

Answer 32

advantages of group living

Question 33

Multiple Select Question
Select all that apply

Select all of the following that are examples of auditory communication.

Multiple select question.

elaborate ornamentation to attract a mate

patterns of light flashes in fireflies

bird songs to establish territories

a predator locating prey by listening to their calls

Answer 33

bird songs to establish territories

a predator locating prey by listening to their calls

Question 34

Multiple Select Question
Select all that apply

What are disadvantages of living in a social group? Choose all that apply.

Multiple select question.

Decreased defenses against predators

Increased competition for food

Spread of illness and parasites

Group hunting and food gathering

Answer 34

Increased competition for food

Spread of illness and parasites

Question 35

One of the advantages of living in a large group is that:

Multiple choice question.

an individual forager can devote less time to vigilance and less time to feeding

an individual forager can devote more time to vigilance and less time to feeding

an individual forager can devote less time to vigilance and more time to feeding

an individual forager can devote more time to vigilance and more time to feeding

Answer 35

an individual forager can devote less time to vigilance and more time to feeding

Question 36

The idea that a larger group size decreases predator success because of increased ability to detect a predator is called _________.

Multiple choice question.

the many-eyes hypothesis

Hamilton’s rule

optimality theory

territory defense paradigm

Answer 36

the many-eyes hypothesis

Question 37

Multiple Select Question
Select all that apply

Which of the following are benefits that an animal receives from living in a social group?

Multiple select question.

help in avoiding predators

group food gathering

spread of illness and parasites

help in raising young

Answer 37

help in avoiding predators

group food gathering

help in raising young

Question 38

_______ describes a behavior that appears to benefit others at the cost to oneself.

Answer 38

altruism

Question 39

Selection for behavior that lowers an individual’s own fitness but enhances the reproductive success of a relative is known as _________ selection

Answer 39

kin

Question 40

Select all that apply

Advantages to group living include:

Multiple select question.

reduced likelihood of disease

cooperative hunting

reduced predator success

access to mates

access to more resources

Answer 40

cooperative hunting

reduced predator success

access to mates

Question 41

The most extreme form of altruism involves

Multiple choice question.

assisting an injured member of the colony at one’s own expense.

migrating out of the population.

the evolution of sterile individuals in social insects.

attracting the attention of a predator so other colony members can escape.

Answer 41

the evolution of sterile individuals in social insects.

Question 42

___________ altruism occurs when the cost of behaving altruistically is offset by the likelihood of a return benefit.

Answer 42

Reciprocal

Question 43

In _______, one male mates with one female over a breeding season or longer, while in _______, either males or females mate with more than one partner in a single breeding season.

polygyny; monogamy

polygamy; monogamy

polyandry; polygyny

monogamy; polygamy

Answer 43

monogamy; polygamy

Question 44

Which of the following is more likely to be observed in nature?

Multiple choice question.

Altruistic behaviors are more likely to occur than individual selfish behaviors.

Altruistic behaviors and selfish behaviors are equally likely to occur.

Individual selfish behaviors are more likely to occur than altruistic behaviors.

Selfish behaviors are only apparent when finding a mate and then altruistic behaviors are favored by the group.

Answer 44

Individual selfish behaviors are more likely to occur than altruistic behaviors.

Question 45

Selection for altruistic behavior among relatives is called

Multiple choice question.

the coefficient of relatedness.

inclusive fitness.

optimality theory.

kin selection.

Answer 45

kin selection.

Question 46

Mating is called _______ when each male mates with many females and each female mates with many males during a breeding season.

Multiple choice question.

polyandry

monogamous

promiscuous

polyandrous

Answer 46

promiscuous

Question 47

The cost to the animal of behaving altruistically to unrelated individuals is often offset by the likelihood of a return benefit from the other individual. This is known as:

Multiple choice question.

selfish altruism

social altruism

reciprocal altruism

kin selection

Answer 47

reciprocal altruism

Question 48

True or False: When an individual mates exclusively with a single partner for at least one breeding season, it is called polygamy.

True false question.
True
False

Answer 48

False

Question 49

___________ is a mating system in which one male mates with more than one female during a single breeding season.

Answer 49

polygyny

Question 50

What is a polyandrous mating system?

Multiple choice question.

When a male mates with several females in a breeding season.

When a female has several male partners in a breeding season.

When a male mates with a different female each breeding season.

When a female mates with a different male each breeding season.

Answer 50

When a female has several male partners in a breeding season.

Question 51

Sexual dimorphism is when

Multiple choice question.

there are two different mating systems observed within the same species.

there are distinct differences between the sexes within the same species.

a single individual in a species has both male and female characteristics.

a female becomes male after the dominant male of the group dies.

Answer 51

there are distinct differences between the sexes within the same species.

Question 52

There are various levels of ecology that can be used to study organisms and their interactions with the environment. What type of ecologist would be likely to study how the pine forest of the Rocky Mountains recovers after a forest fire?

Question 1 options:

Community Ecologist

Organismal Ecologist

Physiological Ecologist

Ecosystems Ecologist

Population Ecologist

Answer 52

Community Ecologist

Question 53

There are various levels of ecology that can be used to study organisms and their interactions with the environment. What type of ecologist would be likely to compare the numbers of Northern Sawwhet Owls that migrate through the Midwest as compared to the Northeast?

Question 2 options:

Community Ecologist

Population Ecologist

Physiological Ecologist

Organismal Ecologist

Ecosystems Ecologist

Answer 53

Population Ecologist

Question 54

An ecologist is interested in examining the effect of annual rainfall on grasshopper abundance. She looks at historical rainfall records for 30 years and compares them to grasshopper abundances that have been measured over the same time period. Why did she use 30 years of data?

Question 3 options:

It adds replication to her study

It increases the chance that the effect she sees is due to random chance

It removes the problem of simply correlating rainfall with abundance

It allows her to prove that rainfall affects grasshopper abundance

Answer 54

It removes the problem of simply correlating rainfall with abundance WRONG

It adds replication to her study

Question 55

A typical human yawn lasts for about six seconds and once initiated, is nearly impossible to stop. Although there are many hypotheses for why we yawn, it is accepted that yawning is contagious - when we see someone else yawn, we often find ourselves yawning as well. This happens across all cultures and even in infants! In this case, the yawn an individual observes is ____________, while their own yawn is ____________.

Question 4 options:

an association, a conditioned response

a sign stimulus, a fixed action pattern

innate behavior, habituation

reflex response, learned behavior

Answer 55

a sign stimulus, a fixed action pattern

Question 56

All rainforests are tropical.

Question 5 options:
True
False

Answer 56

False

Question 57

Mantled howler monkeys have been found to obtain most of their food from relatively rare trees, even though finding these trees takes much longer than finding common trees. Nutritional analyses of both rare and common trees found that the rare trees tended to be higher in protein and water, while the common trees tended to be higher in crude fiber and plant secondary compounds. This is a clear example of

Question 6 options:

Habituation

Imprinting

Innate behavior

Optimal foraging

Answer 57

Optimal foraging

Question 58

The coefficient of relatedness of a human child to its full sibling is, on average,

Question 7 options:

0. 25
1. 5
2. 75

1

1.5

Answer 58

0.5

Question 59

What is the main difference between habituation and conditioning?

Question 8 options:

Habituation involves learning, while conditioning does not

Habituation involves genetic imprinting, while conditioning involves only learned behavior

Habituation involves a stimulus with no association, while conditioning involves a stimulus with an association

Habituation involves an increase in the intensity of response, while conditioning involves a decrease in intensity of response

Habituation lacks an external stimulus, while conditioning involves both external and internal stimuli

Answer 59

Habituation involves a stimulus with no association, while conditioning involves a stimulus with an association

Question 60

After removing some freshly baked cookies from the oven, you accidentally brush the side of the pan with your bare hand. Your reflexes kick in and you immediately draw your hand away. What is the proximate cause of this behavior?

Question 9 options:

For millions of years, your ancestors survived in part because they avoided damaging heat, and thus were able to pass on heat-avoiding genes to you

Drawing your hand away quickly when it encounters high heat prevents injury, thereby increasing your chances to survive and reproduce

Sensory receptors in the skin of your hand sent a signal to interneurons in your spinal cord, which subsequently signaled the motor neurons in your arm and hand to contract muscles to draw your hand away

You perceived the heat, judged that it would cause a burn if you left your hand in place too long, and made a conscious decision to pull your hand away

Answer 60

Sensory receptors in the skin of your hand sent a signal to interneurons in your spinal cord, which subsequently signaled the motor neurons in your arm and hand to contract muscles to draw your hand away

Question 61

After removing some freshly baked cookies from the oven, you accidentally brush the side of the pan with your bare hand. Your reflexes kick in and you immediately draw your hand away. What is the ultimate cause of this behavior?

Question 10 options:

For millions of years, your ancestors survived in part because they avoided damaging heat, and thus were able to pass on heat-avoiding genes to you

Drawing your hand away quickly when it encounters high heat prevents injury, thereby increasing your chances to survive and reproduce

Sensory receptors in the skin of your hand sent a signal to interneurons in your spinal cord, which subsequently signaled the motor neurons in your arm and hand to contract, drawing your hand away

You perceived the heat, judged that it would cause a burn if you left your hand in place too long, and made a conscious decision to pull your hand away

Answer 61

Drawing your hand away quickly when it encounters high heat prevents injury, thereby increasing your chances to survive and reproduce

Question 62

Praying mantis females often eat the males following copulation (similar to the redback spiders). One hypothesis for this behavior in the male mantids is that by doing so, the male benefits because the female can then produce more, larger offspring. These offspring then have better survival and reproductive success. If this hypothesis is true, what is the best prediction?

Question 11 options:

Females that consume males will have more, larger offspring than females that do not consume males

Larger mantids have higher survival rates

Males that avoid being eaten during copulation are able to mate with multiple females

All of the above

A and B only

Answer 62

Females that consume males will have more, larger offspring than females that do not consume males WRONG

Question 63

A white crown sparrow who listened to the songs of his parents will sing the typical white crown song. A white crown sparrow who listened to the songs of robins will not sing the song of the robin, but also cannot quite sing the correct white crown song. What does this tell you about singing in white crown sparrows?

Question 12 options:

It is controlled by genetics only

It is only a learned behavior

It is due to the interaction between genetics and the environment (learning)

It is critical for the survival of the individual

Answer 63

It is due to the interaction between genetics and the environment (learning)

Question 64

Organisms are adapted to the environmental conditions to which they are exposed. The diversity of organisms that is found in any particular area is largely determined by the limiting abiotic factors of that region. Which abiotic factor is most likely responsible for the fact that reptiles, which are ectothermic, are more common and diverse in the southern US than in Canada?

Question 13 options:

Temperature

Salinity

Rainfall

Wind

pH

Answer 64

Temperature

Question 65

Praying mantis females often eat the males following copulation (similar to the redback spiders). One hypothesis for this behavior in the male mantids is that by doing so, the male benefits because the female can then produce more, larger offspring. These offspring then have better survival and reproductive success. Which data provided below supports this hypothesis?

Question 14 options:

Females that consume larger males have more, larger offspring

There is not significant difference in reproductive success for smaller mantids

Males that are eaten are always the father of the offspring

Smaller males are eaten more often than larger males

Answer 65

Smaller males are eaten more often than larger males WRONG

Question 66

A male meadow lark needs to sing to attract a mate. Which would be the best option for the male to choose?

Question 15 options:

Sing during the middle of the day from the tallest grass available

Sing at dawn from the tallest grass available

Sing at dawn from its nest on the ground

Sing during the middle of the day from its nest on the ground

Answer 66

Sing at dawn from the tallest grass available