Human Behaviour & Ecology Flashcards
What is assortative mating?
A form of non random mating in which pair bonds are established on the basis of a particular phenotypical trait
What is positive assortative mating?
When people choose to mate with those phenotypically similar to themselves
What is negative (dis assortative) mating?
When individuals with dissimilar phenotypes or genotypes maye with one another more frequently than expected under random mating
What is an altruistic behaviour?
A behaviour that conveys and individual fitness cost to the actor and a fitness benefit to the receiver
Female mate preferences
Older men, demonstrate ability to survive
Male mate preferences
Younger, they demonstrate a higher reproductive value
What is an adaptation?
Traits that offer an advantage in a given environment
What are the types of adaptations?
- structural
- physiological
- behavioural
What are some examples of species wide adaptations?
Stereoscopic vision, opposable thumb, voice
What are some examples of population specific adaptations?
Body shape, lactose tolerance
What is acclimation?
Very short term (minutes to hours) response to an environmental stressor
What is acclimatisation?
Short term (days to weeks) response to an environmental stressor
Genetic adaptation vs. Cultural adaptation
Modification: genetic/evolutionary vs. Behavioural/developmental
Transmission: Vertical (parent to offspring) vs. Vertical and horizontal
Speed: very slow (random mutation) vs rapid (goal directed
Direction: relatively irreversible vs. Reversible
What are some similarities between cultural and genetic adaptation?
- both provide advantages for a given environment
- both results in changes over many generations
Define convergent evolution
The independent evolution of similar traits within a species
Define a cline
A measurable gradient of a single trait across a geographical range
Define cultural adaptation
The capability of humans to overcome changes in their natural environments through changes in their behaviour and culture
What is the first law of thermodynamics?
In the conversion of energy from one form to another, energy is neither lost nor gained from a system
What is the second law of thermodynamics?
Energy conversions result in a loss of free energy in the system (increased entropy)
What is Leibigs law of the minimum?
Distribution of a species in a cape is controlled by the environmental factor for which the organism has the lowest range of adaptability or control
What is a limiting factor?
Change in level of a resource results in a change of carry capacity of a population
What is a regulating factor?
Change in a level of a factor that changes vital rates as population density increases.
What is Bergman’s rule?
Lower ambient temperatures is reflected in larger body size
What is Allen’s rule?
Length of appendages decreases with decreasing mean temperature
What was an advantage of agriculture with cooking?
Infants would be weaned earlier, shorter inter birth intervals
Proximate explanations of behaviour
What controls the behaviour on a day to day basis
Ultimate explanations of behaviour
How does the behaviour increase survival and reproduction (fitness)
Female contribution to offspring
- genetic material
- gestation
- lactation
- care of juveniles
Male contribution to offspring
- genetic material
- resources (some mammals)
- protection (some mammals)
- care (very few mammals)
Hamilton’s rule for kin selection
rB > C
