Evolution of Behaviour

Question 1

Name 4 famous behavioural ecologists.

Answer 1

Konrad Lorenz
W.D. Hamilton
John Maynard
Niko Tinbergen

Question 2

What is W.D Hamilton’s Red Queen Theory

Answer 2

A theory of evolution of sex that states sex evolved due to new gene combinations that prevented parasites preying on the organism, leading to better survival.

Question 3

Name a sexually cannibalistic animal

Answer 3

Burrowing wolf spider
Mediterranean tarantula
golden orb-web spider (Nephila plumipes)
Redback spider

Question 4

Roughly how old is the Earth?

Answer 4

~4.7 billion years old

Question 5

When did the first multicellular organisms evolve?

Answer 5

~500 million years ago

Question 6

What are the 5 stages of natural selection

Answer 6

1) Variation among individuals
2) Heritable variation
3) Competition
4) Natural selection
5) Adaptation

Question 7

How do genes impact behaviour?

Answer 7

Behaviour can have a genetic basis
Genes are inherited
Successful behaviours enhance fitness and survival so are more likely to be passed on

Question 8

What was Berthold et al’s study on blackcaps?

Answer 8

Some blackcaps migrate, others do not
Berthold et al carried out an artificial experiment that show genetic differences for these blackcap behaviours

267 chicks were hand raised from Rhone Valley of Southern France
3/4 demonstarted migratory restlessness
1/4 did not
When selectively bred, blackcaps produced were either 100% migratory or 100% resident over 6 generations

Question 9

How has blackcap behaviour led to speciation?

Answer 9

Blackcaps bred in central Europe, migrate to southern Europe and North Africa in winter
The blackcaps that migrate to the same breeding forest in central europe after winter in britain produce larger clutches of eggs
British-wintering blackcaps breed with each other rather than non-british wintering blackcaps
Become reproductively isolated from each other

Question 10

What happens the when vasopressin receptor gene is inserted in the meadow vole

Answer 10

The meadow vole shows behaviours of the prairie vole (pair bonding and parental care)

Question 11

What is the difference between meadow voles and prairie voles

Answer 11

meadow voles show no parental care

Prairie voles offer strong bonds and parental care

Question 12

How does vasopressin in meadow and prairie voles explain behaviour

Answer 12

Shows behaviour can have a genetic influence

Gene therapy can alter behaviour

Question 13

What are the different nesting behaviours in Fisher’s lovebirds and Peach-faced lovebirds

Answer 13

Fisher’s lovebirds - tear strips from leaves to build nest, carry material in beak
Peach-faced lovebirds - stuffs strips into its rump feathers before flying back to the nest

Question 14

What did Dilger (1962) find out about Fisher/Peach-faced lovebird hybrids?

Answer 14

They were initially incapable of building nests, making unsuccessful attempt to stuff nesting materials in their rump feathers

Question 15

After 6 months and 2 years, what did Dilger (1962) witness about the hybrid lovebirds

Answer 15

Over 6 months - 41% successful beak carrying

Over 2 years - 99% successful

Question 16

What does Dilger’s (1962) study in lovebird hybrids show about behaviour?

Answer 16

It can have biotic and abiotic influences (genetic and learnt)

Question 17

What is fitness?

Answer 17

Fitness is the measure of selective quality.

How reproductively successful an individual is

Question 18

Do British wintering or non British wintering Black cap birds produce larger egg clutches?

Answer 18

British Wintering blackcaps produce bigger clutch sizes

Question 19

How did British wintering and non British wintering blackcap birds become reproductively isolated?

Answer 19

British wintering blackcaps only breed with each other rather than non British wintering Black caps (during breeding season)