Exam 2

Question 1

Ethology

Answer 1

study of how evolution influences behavior (in non-human animals)

Question 2

psychology

Answer 2

study of human behavior

Question 3

Tinbergen’s four questions

Answer 3

What stimulus elicits the behavior, and what mechanisms mediate the response?
How does the animal’s experience during growth and development influence the response?
How does the behavior aid survival and reproduction?
What is the behavior’s evolutionary history?

Question 4

Types of animal behavior

Answer 4

Migration
Communication
Visual signals
Aural signals
Chemical signals
Tactile signals

Question 5

Migration

Answer 5

long-range seasonal movement of animals.

Question 6

Communication

Answer 6

Allows precise transfer of information between organisms
May represent a variety of different signals
Communication signals serve as stimuli for responses

Question 7

Visual signals

Answer 7

Facial expressions
Dance-like movements

Question 8

Aural signals

Answer 8

Vocalizations
Clapping/stomping/buzzing/etc.

Question 9

Chemical signals

Answer 9

Pheromones
Signal sensed by organisms of same species

Question 10

Tactile signals

Answer 10

Touch conveys meaning

Question 11

Three types of migration

Answer 11

Obligate: Animals always migrate
Facultative migration: Animals choose to migrate or not migrate.
Incomplete migration: Some of the population migrates, while others do not.

Question 12

Origin of a behavior

Answer 12

Behaviors may be innate or learned
Innate behaviors are a fixed feature of an organism’s function; do not require prior experience to operate
Learned behaviors require prior experience

Question 13

Reflex action

Answer 13

an involuntary and rapid response to stimulus

Question 14

Kinesis

Answer 14

the undirected movement in response to a stimulus

Question 15

Taxis

Answer 15

the directed movement towards or away from a stimulus

Question 16

Fixed action pattern

Answer 16

a series of movements elicited by a stimulus such that even when the stimulus is removed, the pattern goes on to completion

Question 17

Imprinting

Answer 17

Limited opportunity for young to learn

Question 18

Spatial

Answer 18

Landmarks are used to assist navigation

Question 19

Associative

Answer 19

Cause-and-effect reasoning

Question 20

Cognition

Answer 20

Creative problem solving

Question 21

Social

Answer 21

Observing behavior of others; teaching

Question 22

Heritability and behavior

Answer 22

Almost all behaviors have some genetic influence
Innate behaviors are most closely tied to genetic control

Question 23

Evolutionary history of behavior

Answer 23

Heritable behaviors are subject to evolution in populations

Like coastal banana slug eaten only by coastal snakes

Question 24

Sexual selection

Answer 24

selective pressures associated with mate choice
Individuals may compete with others of the same sex for access to mates
Physical contests are obvious and dramatic examples of such competition
Attractiveness also represents competition for access to mates

Question 25

The economics of mate choice

Answer 25

If gametes are few in number and metabolically expensive, then the individual is benefited by choosing a mate of high quality
If gametes are plentiful and inexpensive, then the individual is benefited by having as many mates as possible

Question 26

Mating systems (self-fertilization not shown)

Answer 26

Monogamy
Polygyny
Polyandry

Question 27

Selfishness behavior

Answer 27

benefits the actor at the expense of others

Question 28

Altruistic behavior

Answer 28

benefits others at the expense of the actor; self-sacrifice

Inclusive fitness influenced by reproductive efforts of individual as well as efforts of close kin
Kin selection theory predicts rise of altruistic behavior when close kin are benefactors of sacrifice

Question 29

Eusociality

Answer 29

a social group dynamic in which only one or a few females reproduce and the rest provide parental care for the offspring (extreme altruism)

Naked mole rats, bees, etc

Question 30

morphological species

Answer 30

states that members of a species exhibit similar anatomy and morphology

This applies well to fossils (not much else to go on), but frequently leads to incorrect conclusions

Question 31

ecological species

Answer 31

states that members of a species share similar geographic range and ecological niche

This applies well to organisms when they are encountered under natural conditions, but is problematic when applied to organisms outside of their habitat

Question 32

biological species

Answer 32

states that members of a species successfully interbreed to produce viable offspring under natural conditions (no reproductive isolation)

This applies well to animals, but is problematic when applied to bacteria (asexual) and fossils (poor evidence of reproduction)

Question 33

4 types of prezygotic isolation

Answer 33

Temporal isolation – species have different breeding schedules
Habitat isolation – members of species select different habitats or are otherwise separated
Gametic isolation – Mechanical incompatibility prevents fertilization
Behavioral isolation – certain actions or behaviors (or the lack of them) impacts reproduction

Question 34

2 types of postzygotic isolation

Answer 34

Hybrid inviability – an embryo is produced, but cannot survive development
Hybrid sterility – different species can produce a viable offspring, but that offspring cannot reproduce

Question 35

Speciation can occur when:

Answer 35

Changes (mutations) over time lead to groups no longer being reproductively compatible
Geographic isolation may or may not play a role

Question 36

The model of allopatric speciation

Answer 36

geographic isolation between members of a population
The geographic barrier prevents gene flow/causes reproductive isolation (you can say it either way) between the two parts of the population
Over time, the gene pools of each subpopulation will become more different from each other

Question 37

Model of Sympatric Speciation

Answer 37

Speciation within the same physical location and conditions
May arise from genetic errors
May arise from behavioral variation

Question 38

Autopolyploidy

Answer 38

Two or more complete sets of chromosomes in gametes. Results from error in cell division.

Question 39

Allopolyploidy

Answer 39

Gametes from two different species combine

Question 40

Hybridization

Answer 40

A hybrid has parents of different species
Some hybrids represent evolutionary dead-ends (hybrid inviability/sterility)
Some hybrids can survive and reproduce, but exhibit reduced fitness compared to genotypes of either parent species
Some hybrids (rarely) exhibit equal or greater fitness compared to either parent species

Question 41

Hybrid zone

Answer 41

After speciation has occurred, the two separate but closely related species may continue to produce offspring in an area called the hybrid zone. Reinforcement, fusion, or stability may result, depending on reproductive barriers and the relative fitness of the hybrids.