Chapter 9: Evolution and Behavior Flashcards
Behavior
Encompasses any and all of the actions performed by an organism often in response to its environment or the actions of another organism
Instincts (Innate Behaviors)
Behaviors that don’t require any environmental input to develop. Are present in all individuals in a population and there is not much variation
Fixed Action Pattern
Is a sequence of behaviors that requires no learning, does not vary among individuals, and once started goes to completion. Ex. Egg retrieval in geese
Prepared Learning
When behaviors are learned easily and by all individuals. Ex. Humans speaking
Altruistic Behaviors
They seem to come at a cost to the individual performing them, while benefitting a recipient. Ex. Spiders become food for their offspring
Kin Selection
A strategy where one individual assisting another can compensate for its own decrease in fitness if it is helping a close relative that increases the relatives fitness
Reciprocal Altruism
Can lead to the evolution of altruistic behavior toward unrelated individuals
Inclusive Fitness
The ability of an individual organism to pass on its genes to the next generation taking into account the shared genes passed on by the organisms close relatives
Group Selection
Refers to the idea that natural selection sometimes acts on whole groups of organisms leading to group advantageous traits
Female
Defined as the sex that produced the larger gamete
Male
Produces the smaller gamete
Reproductive Investment
The material and energetic contribution to the offspring
Total Reproductive Output
The lifetime number of offspring a male can produce
Paternity Uncertainty
Because it is possible for a female to mate with multiple males male mammals and birds will have this to some degree
First Tactic for Getting a Mate
Mate only after subjecting a male to courtship rituals
Second Tactic for getting a mate
Mate only with a male who controls valuable resources
Third Tactic for getting a mate
Mate only with a male who contributes a large parental investment up front
Fourth Tactic of getting a mate
Mate only with a male that has a valuable physical attribute
Mate Guarding
Is the process in which a member of a species attempts to prevent another member of a species of a different sex from mating with rival members
Polygamy
A system in which some individuals attract multiple mates while other individuals attract none
Polygyny
Individual males mate with multiple females
Polyandry
Individual females mate with multiple males
Mating Systems
Describes the patterns of mating behaviors in a species
Pair Bond
Forms a close relationship through courtship and sexual activity with one other animal or person
