Ecology Chapter 7 & 8

Question 1

Define Life History

Answer 1

sequence of events or landmarks related to an individuals growth, survivorship and reproduction

Question 2

What does life history include?

Answer 2

size at birth
growth rate
age and size at maturity
age specific reproductive effort
number and size of offspring
mode of reproduction (sexual vs asexual

Question 3

interparous

Answer 3

reproduces multiple times in the organisms life

Question 4

semelparous

Answer 4

reproduce once than dies ex. glow worms, salmon

Question 5

protandry

Answer 5

protandrous -organism transforms from male to female

Question 6

protogyny

Answer 6

protogynous- organism transforms from female to male

Question 7

anisogamy

Answer 7

not same gamette

Question 8

isoganous

Answer 8

o+

o-

Question 9

alternation of generations

Answer 9

term used to describe life cycle of plants and other organisms that alternate between a multi cellular haploid stage (AKA gametophyte) and a multicellular diploid stage (AKA sarophyte)

Question 10

sporophyte

Answer 10

multicellular 2N stage

Question 11

Complex life cycles

Answer 11

composed of atleast two distinct stages that differ in their habitat physiology or morphology

Question 12

complex life styles are common…

Answer 12

by absolute numbers, they are not the exception

Question 13

why have complex life cycles

Answer 13

1. different stages experience the environment differently

2. reduced or no competition between parents and offspring

Question 14

life history continua

Answer 14

r vs k selected species

Question 15

r selected species

Answer 15

“weedy” species with high population growth rate - “Live fast, die young”

Question 16

k-selected species

Answer 16

longer lived, slow growing, good competitors

Question 17

infanticide

Answer 17

form of male to male competition

lion killing cubs to speed up female lions return to being able to concieve

Question 18

proximate behavior

Answer 18

immediate mechanistic reason why behavior occurs

Question 19

ultimate behavior

Answer 19

evolutionary and historical reasons why behavior occurs

Question 20

MacArthur and Planka coined what theory?

Answer 20

Optimal Foraging theory

Question 21

Optimal foraging theory main assumption

Answer 21

natural selection has operated strongly on foraging behavior thus foraging behavior should be adaptive

Question 22

optimal foraging

Answer 22

species should forage in an efficient manor that maximizes and minimizes cost
varies with species and envir. context
time -cost
calories-benefit

Question 23

optimal food choice

Answer 23

profitability of a food item (p) depends on how much energy (e) the animal gets from the food relative

Question 24

marginal value theorem

Answer 24

predicts ‘giving up time’ in a world where food occurs in patches
-as animal forages, the amount of energy gain gradually begins to slow down as food becomes scarcer in the patch

Question 25

altruism

Answer 25

behavior that appears to benefit others at a cost to the individual preforming the act.

ex. ground squirrels calling out to other squirrels when predator is near putting themselves at a bigger risk to be spotted.

Question 26

group selection argument

Answer 26

groups containing altruists should have a survival advantages over selfish individuals

Question 27

kin selection

Answer 27

selection for a behavior that decreases ones own fitness but increases the reproductive fitness of a relative

Question 28

inclusive fitness

Answer 28

individuals fitness and fitness of a relative = total number if gene copies passed down from one generation to another

Question 29

Hamilton’s rule

Answer 29

an altruistic gene will be favored by natural selection IF rB > c - cost to altruist

Question 30

eusociality- (extreme altruism)

Answer 30

1. reproductive division of labor (fixed?)
2. cooperative care of young
3. overlapping generations

Question 31

reciprical altruism

Answer 31

doing something kind for someone else in hopes of getting something in return from someone else