Lecture 11- Individual Variation in Behaviour

Question 1

examples of different behavioural phenotypes

Answer 1

producer and scrounger- finding food vs taking food others have found- under negative frequency-dependence based on fitness

Question 2

where has this producer/scrounger model been tested

Answer 2

in birds- one side for each behaviour- can see how birds distribute themselves
more scroungers in the uncovered patch- possibly a more advantageous behaviour, as food is more easily available?

Question 3

how does the separation occur

Answer 3

end up with a binomial distribution of phenotypes, can see very quick separation out into types

Question 4

example of a conditional strategy

Answer 4

different ‘morphs’- e.g. in common side-blotched lizard- ‘rock paper scissors’ type OBY colour morphs
size morphs in marine isopods
male tactic morphs in blue-gill sunfish (parental, sneaker, satellite)

Question 5

genetic characteristics of morphs

Answer 5

often a single gene region which is important- helpful in selection, often obvious- good to see what the situation is

Question 6

what is a behavioural syndrome

Answer 6

set of correlated traits, e.g. ‘aggressive’ or ‘dispersal’ behaviour

Question 7

mechanisms of variation

Answer 7

may not be genetic- found no genetic correlation in a species of fish- individuality can emerge in a variety of ways

Question 8

example of a behavioural structure which can change based on the environment

Answer 8

fewer behavioural correlations in predator-free environments- less need for a proper ‘aggressive phenotype’