Habitat Choice, Home Range and Territory L6

Question 1

What is Habitat choice and what is its restrictions?

Answer 1

This implies self-selection

Most of the time the individual organism is stuck with having to use sub-optimal locations, this therefore means they have access to only sub-optimal resources

Question 2

What is a habitat?

Answer 2

A habitat is a specific place in the environment where an organism lives

It can be the natural home or environment of an animal, plant or other organism

There is no connotations to do with behavioural or conservation characteristics, it is just what it says.

The location of which contains the relevant resources for the survival and perpetuation of a particular species.

Often very specific habitat and species association

Can be highly specific and widespread, like stony and sand deserts for Sand cats

High specific and localised

Question 3

What is Habitat preference?

Answer 3

Habitat preference = individuals struggling for the best sites

These sites are sought after and will be competed for

The distribution of competitors reflects this competition

Question 4

What two things cause Species/Habitat association?

Answer 4

• Random dispersion and differential mortality: Meaning individuals that happen to end up in favorable habitats establish and reproduce. If they do not, they will die.
• Preference for places that are like to enhance reproductive success: this is for independently mobile animals.

Question 5

How was genetic role discovered to be a part in determining preference?

Answer 5

An experiment on mice and bees showed habitat preferences that originally is expected to evolve over generations of natural selection.

Wecker did a similar experiment with relation to Prairie Deermice, giving them a choice of woodland or grassland habitats on release.

• Both captive-bred and wild-caught mice preferentially chose grassland habitats
• This is then indicates a likely genetic role in determining preference

Question 6

What is the perfect situation for an organism?

Answer 6

A perfect situation for an organism would be equal resources available and individuals have an equal chance of finding them in result, this is an in Ideal free distribution.

Question 7

What is the most common modification of the environment?

Answer 7

The most common modification of the environment is interference competition, The habitat quality is reduced by interference between competing individuals.

Also differences in competitive abilities of individuals intraspecific competition and predator-prey interactions

This is very important from an evolutionary perspective as individuals and species that can successfully reproduce in these circumstances persists.

Question 8

What does Habitat choice require?

Answer 8

For habitat choice it requires individuals to move around, this includes migration and dispersal.

Important to separate out longer-distance movements from short-range and territorial movement. For example foraging

Question 9

What is Calculated migration?

Answer 9

Distributions are informed by site conditions and quality

Question 10

What is Non-calculated migration?

Answer 10

This is when the quality of the destination is unknown

Question 11

What are Evolutionary ecologists views of dispersal?

Answer 11

This is when individuals switch populations and influence genetics structures and hence evolution.

Question 12

What are Population dynamicists views of dispersal?

Answer 12

Movements in a matrix (metapopulation dynamics) without considering individual motivations

Question 13

What are Strict behaviourists views of dispersal?

Answer 13

They are interested in the decision-making which occurs and the interaction with the mosaic of habitat

Question 14

What are Animal behaviour and wildlife conservation views of dispersal?

Answer 14

They cover all 3

• Evolution
• Movements in a matrix
• Decision-making

Question 15

How do organisms avoid in-competition and inbreeding?

Answer 15

it is best to change social groups

However it doesn’t have to be changed over great distances

To avoid competition between the conspecifics, it may need to be longer distances, this is mainly if the population is made of many groups

The distances to change habitat type is greater than the distances required to change units of kinship or social units.

Question 16

What is Migratory dispersal?

Answer 16

These are annual or seasonal movements due to spatial changes in the distributions of resources or predictable environmental pressures (Cold or moisture related).

Question 17

What does Migration imply and result in?

Answer 17

Migration also implies that there is larger-scale movement, which involves some considerable distance

This results in groupings of individuals into groups that are larger than usual (See as a By-product group)

There are parts of continents which have larger land corridors and small gaps which act as routeways for individuals and large groups to move.

Question 18

What is Lifetime Track?

Answer 18

This is all movement which is either local, regional or global that is undertaken by the animal between birth and death.

Question 19

What is Fine-scale?

Answer 19

Which tree to go into, which regular path to take

Question 20

What is Larger scale?

Answer 20

when to leave for migration, which specific direction to take

Question 21

What are the factors that together constitute the lifetime track of organisms?

Answer 21

• Stasis:
• Station keeping

Taxes and Kinesis

Foraging:

Commuting:

Territorial behaviour:

Ranging:

home range:

Movement not under control of organism

Accidental displacement

Question 22

What mainly and severely influences Disruption to dispersal?

Answer 22

Dispersal is mainly and severely influenced by edges and barriers. Roads and routeways are one of the significant effects.

They affect gross movements and also instigate particular behavioural characteristics such as hesitation and uncertainty which could in the long run be fatal.

A lot of the current research being undertaken in order to establish the restrictions on dispersal in fragmented areas and to determine what effects this has on population viability.

Question 23

Explain the Home range

Answer 23

This means the spatial extent or the outside boundary of a habitat which is used by an animal during its everyday activities

Question 24

Explain: A territory

Answer 24

Meaning an area which is defended by an individual which normally includes a reproductively-active male. They defend against another individual, that generally includes another male. This is generally for purposes of mating and raising offspring.

Question 25

What is similar between The Home range and A territory?

Answer 25

Both Home range and territory may have identical boundaries, however their functions are different.

Question 26

What is the acquisition and defense of a territory an a example of?

Answer 26

intrasexual competition

Question 27

What does Territoriality mean?

Answer 27

Meaning the establishment and maintaining of a territory

It is implied when there is a greater distance between individuals than expected by chance

It often reflects the vigour of the main territory holder or grouping

Question 28

What does the greater amount of black on the breast of a male great tit mean?

Answer 28

The greater amount of testosterone

More aggressive/dominant the male is likely to be

Greater the likelihood it will acquire a territory

The greater the likelihood it will acquire a high-quality territory

Question 29

What does Dynamic territories mean?

Answer 29

Territories are dynamic, meaning often changing in size and shape with season, population, age or other factors

Question 30

What is Elastic-type behavior or contraction and expansion limited by?

Answer 30

aggressive actions

Question 31

How is Optimal Territory size determined?

Answer 31

Cost-benefit analysis can be used to determine optimal territory size

Question 32

What mating systems do territories normally have?

Answer 32

polygamous or monogamous mating system.

Question 33

Explain Territory as Resources

Answer 33

The resource is the territorial space and also includes food, shelter and breeding sites which are found within that space.

The Territorial behaviour is often vigorous as defending this resource is central to reproduction success

Question 34

What are the costs and benefits of the defense of a resource?

Answer 34

Defence of a resource has:

• Costs meaning the energy expenditure, risk of injury and more
• benefits meaning the priority of access to the resource

Territorial behaviour which is favoured when benefits are greater than costs

Question 35

What is a territory essential for?

Answer 35

A territory is essential for a dependable breeding site

Question 36

Given an explanation of Super territories

Answer 36

A territory will exclude competitors to poorer quality sites, this is one explanation for super territories, which an animal defends an area much greater than its predicted needs.

Question 37

Explain Resource predictability and territoriality

Answer 37

With a more predictable and spaced out the resources in the habitat the more likely animals will acquire territories.

If instead it is unpredictable and/or clumped resources will lead to alternative behaviours. An example of this is flocking which is a by-product of resource availability.

Question 38

Explain the relation between Territoriality and population size

Answer 38

If territory density reflects population density, this will cause an increased number of males which will lead to a greater number of smaller territories.

A territory will have a minimum viable area meaning a minimum level of resource.

Meaning therefore territory density is usually independent of population density but related more to resource availability.

Question 39

How does good food years and poor food years affect the males control of a territory?

Answer 39

When a good food year occurs, this leads to a smaller territory however territory density will be higher and more males will be able to breed.

But if a Poor food year occurs the territories will be larger meaning territory density will be lower.

Competition for a smaller number of territories increases and any surplus males are excluded.

The makes which are less able to compete for a territory are known as low status individuals

A territory which is best well provisioned are more attractive to potential mates.

Question 40

What does the possession of a territory reflect?

Answer 40

The possession of a territory will reflect:

• The owners status
• His reproductive success
• His fitness

All this ties in with the idea of the polygyny threshold
-A female might prefer to mate with an already mated male in a high quality territory rather than a non-mated male in a low-quality territory.

Question 41

Define lifetime track of organism

Answer 41

All movements (local, regional, global) undertaken by the animal between birth and death.

Question 42

What is Stasis?

Answer 42

-Stasis: meaning the organism is stationary, which can include coral or a hibernating organism

Question 43

What is station keeping?

Answer 43

-Station keeping: meaning when the organism is kept in home range

Question 44

in relation to factors that together constitute the lifetime track of organisms: What does it mean by Taxes and Kinesis?

Answer 44

Taxes and Kinesis: meaning the changes in direction or rate of movement

Question 45

in relation to factors that together constitute the lifetime track of organisms: What is Foraging?

Answer 45

Foraging: meaning the process of searching for resources

Question 46

in relation to factors that together constitute the lifetime track of organisms: What is commuting?

Answer 46

Commuting: meaning the regular short-term movement for resources

Question 47

in relation to factors that together constitute the lifetime track of organisms: What is Territorial behaviour?

Answer 47

Territorial behaviour: meaning movement which is directed towards neighbours or intruders.

Question 48

in relation to factors that together constitute the lifetime track of organisms: What is ranging?

Answer 48

-Ranging: meaning the exploratory movement

Movement which is no directly responsive to resources

Question 49

in relation to factors that together constitute the lifetime track of organisms: What is home range?

Answer 49

home range: Migration meaning undistracted movement

Question 50

in relation to factors that together constitute the lifetime track of organisms: How is movement involved?

Answer 50

Movement not under control of organism

Question 51

in relation to factors that together constitute the lifetime track of organisms: What is Accidental displacement?

Answer 51

-Accidental displacement: ,meaning an organism doesn’t initiate movement.

Question 52

What is a conspecific?

Answer 52

An organism belonging to the same species as another