Final Exam Class 2 (behavioral ecology)

Question 1

what is behavioral ecology?

Answer 1

behavioral adaptation that evolved in response to ecological selection pressures

Question 2

what is proximate causation?

Answer 2

how actions occur,, physical, mechanical, neurological, hormonal etc.

Question 3

what is ultimate causation

Answer 3

why actions occur,, evolutionarily why is this action done?

Question 4

behavior can evolve through

Answer 4

natural selection (just like any other phenotype)

Question 5

example of proximate causation

Answer 5

cortisol and oxytocin (stress and empathy hormones released)

Question 6

example of ultimate causation

Answer 6

in social species traits that strengthen social bonds are favored by natural selection
- when the population is feeling better, the health of the species goes up, their access to resources will be better, and they will be less vulnerable to threats

Question 7

innate behavior

Answer 7

genetic, instinctual, fixed action patterns

Question 8

what is an example of an innate behavior

Answer 8

yawning

Question 9

what is a learned behavior

Answer 9

behaviors that result from specific experiences, endured change

Question 10

what are fitness trade offs?

Answer 10

exists for each type of behavior
- you cannot maximize two behaviors at the same time
- analyzed using cost-benefit analysis

Question 11

two important things about behavior

Answer 11

• choices are not usually conscious
• behavior varies within a population

Question 12

example of a learned behavior

Answer 12

pavlovs dogs

Question 13

proximate cause of foraging behavior

Answer 13

-genetics (rovers) or (sitters)

Question 14

ultimate cause of foraging behavior

Answer 14

different environmental conditions

Question 15

what is the optimal foraging theory

Answer 15

the way an animal maximizes energy (food) intake while minimizing costs (ex. movements, predation)

Question 16

what are proximate causes of sexual selection `

Answer 16

-visual cues
- light (photoperiod) -tells that the seasons are changing
-hormone release

Question 17

what are ultimate causes of sexual selection

Answer 17

intersexual and intrasexual behaviors

Question 18

what are ultimate causes in sexual selection

Answer 18

intersexual and intrasexual behaviors because they exist to prove that their genetics are superior and therefore advantageous

Question 19

why is sexual selection is strongest on males

Answer 19

eggs are expensive and sperm are cheap

Question 20

sex sons hypothesis

Answer 20

females will chose attractive males because their sexy sons will have a greater chance of passing on their genes

Question 21

good genes gypothesis

Answer 21

females choose the best males via an honest indicator

Question 22

fishers runaway selection

Answer 22

rapid evolution of male traits, creates extreme sexual dimorphism. Can eventually get too extreme decreasing survivorship in males (ornamentations)
(photo explanation in slides)

Question 23

migration

Answer 23

long distance movement of a population

Question 24

migration is associated with

Answer 24

-change in seasons
- not the same as dispersal
- two way travel

Question 25

what is dispersal

Answer 25

one way movement of organisms from one area to another