Midterm One - Rewritten Flashcards
Mustelid species (12)
- Marten
- Fisher
- Wolverine
- Sea Otter (not in NS)
- River Otter
- Least Weasel (not is NS)
- Shorttail Weasel (white in Winter)
- Longtail Weasel (not in NS)
- Black-footed ferret (not in NS)
- Mink
- Badger
- Skunk
Marker of Mink domestication (2)
- White patches
- Mark of domestication
Largest Mustelid (1)
Wolverine
Badgers mutualism (2)
- Mutualistic with Coyotes
- Hunt for rabbits with them
Fisher: Prey they eat (2)
Porcupines
- Only ones that will risk going after a porcupine
Skunks compared to other Mustelids (4)
- Less aggressive
- Less cognition
- Much more bulky
- Possibly a different family
Mustelids main characteristics (8)
- Musk glands
- Solitary
- Delayed implantation
- Sexually dimorphic (size)
- Intelligent
- Aggressive hunters
- Important in fur industry
- Domestication possible
Sea Mink (2)
- Used to be in NS
- Now extinct
- Otters had same fate on East Coast
Mustelid hunting patterns (3)
- Follow sleeping patterns of preys
- Often hunt then sleep (in hour intervals)
- Just like Voles (follow their sleeping patterns)
Mustelid sleeping habits(4)
- Diurnal
- Nocturnal
- Precostual (dawn and dusk)
- Dependent on species
Short-tailed Weasel: Seasonal colour change (2)
- Turns white in winter
- Changes due to hormonal changes due day length/daylight
Mechanisms for Corollary change (5)
- Hormonal
- When days shorten more melatonin produced from pineal gland
- MSH and gonadotropins lower
- Allows for white coats
- More light causes melatonin suppression allowing coloured coats
Taxa levels (6)
Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species (sub-species)
Taxon
Taxonomical unit
Taxonomy (3)
AKA Systematics,
theory/ technique of naming
describing
classifying organisms
Vertebrate Taxonomy (3)
chordata, craniata, vertebrata
list of Amniotic classes (3)
Reptiles, birds, mammals
Amniote def’n (2)
Hard shell, or gestation sac
Anamniotic classes (4)
Amphibians, Osteichthyes, Chondrichthyes, Agnathans
Anamniote Def’n
Soft shell (porous)
Homeothermic organisms (2)
Birds, Mammals
Pilkiothermic Organisms (5)
Reptiles, Amphibians, Osteichthyes, Chondrichthyes, Agnathans
Sauropsida (+ the other name) (3)
Diapsida, Birds + Reptiles
Squamata (2)
Snakes + Lizards
Lepidosauria (2)
Squamata + Sphenodontida
Ancestral divergence of major classes (3)
Fish to Amphibians to Ancestral Reptiles To split
One: Mammals diverged
Two: Modern Reptiles + Birds
Amphibian Orders(3)
Anoura: Frogs + Toads
Urodela: Salamander
Gymnophiona: Worm-like ‘caecilians’
Amphibian Ancestry (3)
Chelonia: Turtles
Lepidosauria: Squamata + Rhynchocephalia (Tuataras)
Archosauria: Crocodiles, etc…
Mammalian subclasses(3)
Prototheria: Echidna + Platypus, egg-laying mammals
Metatheria: Marsupials
Eutheria: Placentals
Birds distinguishing characteristics (2)
- Hard shell eggs
- Homeothermic
Mammals Evolved from?
- Reptiles
North American Marsupial
Opossum
Amount of orders in Placentals
18
Ungulates orders(2)
- Perissodactyla
- Artiodactyla
Closest mammals to primates (2)
- Rodents
- Lagomorpha (rabbits/ hares)
Classification of primates (historical perspective) (4)
Divide in 2 groups:
- Prosimii (noctural primates, not similar to humans)
- Anthropoidea (Platyrhinii - new world- and Catarhinii - old world)
Classification of Primates (new perspective) (2)
- Strepsirhini (nocturnal)
- Haplorhini (diurnal - just combine catarhinii and platyrhinii)
Carnivora historical perspective (2)
2 groups
- Pinnipeds (sea carnivores)
- Fissipeds (land larnivores)
Carnivora new perspecive (4)
2 groups
- Dog-like (early offshoot = mustelids)
- Cat-like (hyena is more cat)
Rodent Historical respective (3)
Three groups
- Mouse-like
- Squirrel-like (beavers too)
- Porcupine- like (many contridictions)
Rodent new Perspective (4)
2 Groups
- Squirrel-like and Mouse-like (altricial young)
- Porcupine-like (precocial young)
Rodent order size compared to all mammals (1)
-more than 50% of the mammalia class
Marsupial young: Altricial or Precocial?
- Precocial
Human young Vs. Chimp young (precocial vs. Altricial) (4)
- Humans Altricial
- Chimps much closer to precocial
- Evolved into altricial (likely allowed more brain development)
Why get into animal behaviour (4)
- Interest in species/ taxon
- Interest in process (theory of mind in chimps)
- Interest in a pattern (behaviour that you are interested in)
- Interest in broad questions (often other fields in animal behaviour)
Approaches in Animal Behaviour (3 + explanation)
- Conceptual: How you think of biological processes
- Empirical: experimental/ observational
- Theoretical: go out and test (models, theories, hypotheses)
Empirical and theoretical can be the same
Four Legs of Animal Behaviour (Tinbergen) (5)
- Used Mayers approach
- Ultimate approach: evolution and function
- Proximal Approach: Development and Causation
Mayers approach (3)
- 2 approaches to biological study
- Proximal: Here and now (physiology, processes, etc…)
- Distal: More evolutionary in perspective
Tinbergen: Proximate Approach (4)
In the moment (how it works
- Immediate Causation
- Mechanisms
- development/ Ontology
Tinbergen: Ultimate Approach (3)
- In the past, what we get too
- Evolution (behaviour based on the structure) - hugely inferred
- Function: Heavily on adaptation to current conditions
EO Wilson
Created Social Biology
What can Phenotypes Show (4)
- Morphology
- Biochemistry
- Behaviour
- Anatomy
Tinbergen and his dimension of analysis (2)
- To know everything about an organism you need to know everything about each dimension (12 interactions)
- Also need to know about each leg of animal behaviour at each dimension (make 48 levels)
Fields of Animal Behaviour (3)
- Psychology
- Biology : 3 subtypes
- Anthropology (often just focus on primates)
Fields of Animal Behaviour: Biology sub-types (3)
- Ethology
- Sociobiology
- Behavioural ecology
Fields of Animal Behaviour: Anthropology (3)
- Anthrozoology: human-animal relationship
- Cultural
- Biological
Other fields attached to Animal Behaviour (7)
- Computer science: AI by looking at evolution
- Neuroscience
- Social Sciences
- Service animals
- Animals Sciences
- Veterinary Medicine
- Conservation
Skinners Missile Piloting Pigeons (2)
- Pigeons trained to peck at moving target (that looks like a boat)
- Harness on the pigeon and it guides the missile
Comparative Psychology (4)
- Lab based
- First to study animal behaviour
- Behaviourist (classical and operant behaviour can explain all behaviour)
- Very much nurture based too
Ethology (7)
- Observational, in the field
- Develop theories from in the field
- Study overt behaviours (noticeable behaviours)
- Limited control of what is being studied
- No control
- Idiographic: looks at one individual at a time
- Generalize from few observations
Criticisms of Ethology (2)
- Observations may only be anecdotes
- Single cases doesn’t mean all populations do this
Sociobiology (2)
- brought genetics (population genetics) into ethology
- Hybrid of ecology and ethology
Behavioural Ecology (2)
- Changed from sociobiology
- Moved away from sociobiology after trying to compare races of humans
- Heavy interest in trade-offs, cost-benefit analysis
Comparing Behavioural ecology to ethology (4)
- Behavioural ecology: Looks at strategies (looks at the functions of behaviour)
- Ethology: Looks at tactics (often looks at forms of behaviour)
FAPS (3)
Fixed action patterns
- Instinctive movements
- A sign stimulus causes a FAP (there is an innate releasing mechanism that starts the process)
Examples of FAPS (5)
- Red dot on beak caused regurgitation
- Yawning in humans?
- Chinchilas and sand
- Goose egg rolling
- Human grasping reflex
Reflex Vs. FAP (2)
- Reflex only from sensory input then motor output
- FAP has some sort of central input (ie. innate releasing mechanism) and sensory input before motor output
Characteristics of FAPs (6)
- Genetically encoded
- Spontaneous (innate)
- No individual differences (not 100%)
- No effect from sensory feedback (the pattern must start and finish)
- Independent of immediate control (Just have to finish even if they are at risk)
- Predictable
Evolution of FAPs (2)
Turned to an MAP (modal action pattern)
Then into Action Sequences
Action Sequences (6)
- Adds flexibility to FAPs
- Allows for less predictable FAPs really
- Range of predicability to the sequence
- More complex
- Much less innate (may be effected by learning and such
- Can be distracted (momentarily stop)
Hoarding and Caching (5)
Hoard: Stockpiling food
Caching: Hiding food
- Larder Hoarding: caching near home
- Scatter Hoarding: Caching in scattered sites
Food is a sign stimulus and a action sequence kicks in to cache the food
Food caching sequences in Canids (3)
Elements of the sequence:
- Carrying and site inspection (find a spot to hide)
- Pawing and digging (dig the hole)
- Tamping and scooping (covering the hole)
FAPS/ Action Sequences across Canids (4)
- Foxes are more primitive
- Foxes are less social (no cooperative hunting, etc)
- Hoarding and Caching is easier (small prey)/ smarter to do for foxes (more to lose)
- Foxes use action sequences much more
Vole Grooming (4)
- Action Sequence for their grooming
- Rodents groom when stressed (even when predators are flying over)
- When goose flew over didn’t care
- When hawk flew over it groomed
FAP Myth (1)
Not true that less evolution = more FAPs
Advantages of FAPs (4)
- Simple
- Automatic
- Predictable responses to easy stimuli
- Like autopilot to help make tasks easy (can go wrong too)
Disadvantages of FAPs (2)
- They are spontaneous (triggered regardless of situation)
- Can also be a waste of time or resources
Stickleback FAP issues (7)
- Stickleback will do displays to a red flower pedal
- Stimulus is just simply red (too simple)
- Start doing FAPs uselessly
- Bloated or red bellied females start FAPs
- Red males = aggression
- Red males + posture = extra aggression (summation here)
Supernormal stimuli (1)
Fake stimuli causes strong responses (think like make up)
Issues with FAPs: Questions that can be asked (4)
- Are patterns innate/ instinctual or learned? (nature or nurture)
- Spatiotemporal expression or structure of behaviour
- Syntax / rules: Rules for behaviour/ exceptions (Ie. predictability of the behaviour)
- Semantics: The context of the pattern (ie. FAP is behaviour happens so out of context)
Hailman/ Ficken Chickadee study (2)
- Chickadees use syllables for specific contexts (ie. communicate about stuff)
Issues with observational research (4)
- Biases
- interpretation mistakes (video included)
- Differential observability (sometimes don’t see individuals)
- ID of subjects (who is who)
Amphibologic behaviours (2)
- Behaviours are ambiguous (hard to be able to tell what the behaviour is)
- (ie. think about fighting and playing)
Field Vs. Lab (5)
Field:
- Ecological validity
- No control of variables
- No control on subjects
- No control on environment
- No timing control, etc..
Lab: Exactly opposite
Comparative studies issues (1)
- Convergent evolution (analogous traits)
Comparative Studies: how to do them (4)
- Can experiment,
- use correlation,
- observe
- hybrid of these
Comparative studies: what to study (5)
- Convergence
- Divergence
- Adaptive behaviours
- Can compare taxa
- Can compare populations
Analogy/ homoplasy
Convergent evolution
Homology
From same ancestry
comparative study methods (3)
- Evolutionary Approach (ancestry/ based on homologies)
- Non-Evolutionary approach (about anologies)
- August Krogh Principle (use a species to investigate a problem - think woodpecker and concussions
reproductive isolating mechanisms (5)
- Chromosomal
- mechanical (size)
- biorhythmic (breeding season off)
- Ecological (diff habitats)
- Behavioural (recognition to mating/ communication)
Marmota Genus: reproductive isolating mechanisms (6)
3 species
- Different habitats
- Different seasons
- Influences social systems (social with olympus)
- allows differentiation
(olympic marmot high altitudes, yellow bellied lower, wood chuck lowest)
Marmota Genus: reasons for organization (3)
- Olympic is more colonial
- Stays with parents longer
- Less food (that is why)
Levels of comparisons (3)
Genetic: species and lower
Specific: Genus and up
Phyletic: orders and up
Felid genera (4)
Felis : small cats
Neofelis : clouded leopard
Panthera : big cats
Acinonyx: cheetah
North American Felids (4 in US/Mexico and 3 in Canada)
- Jaguar
- Ocelots
- Margay
- Jaguarundi
- Cougar
- Bobcat
- Lynx
Cougars (range) (2)
- In Western Canada/ USA and down into S. America
- Many ‘spottings’ in East coast
Cougar characteristics (3)
- More generalist
- Odd reproductive cycle
- Long gestation
Canada Lynx (2)
- Specialist
- Predator-Prey cycle with Hare
Bobcat (2)
- Generalist
- Technically a Lynx
Lynx Hybrids (2)
- Bobcat and Lynx mated
- Common occurrence
Foundations of animal behaviour (3)
- natural Selection : species level adaptation
- Individual Learning : individual- level adaptations
- Cultural Transmission : social learning (trans-generational)
Evidence of Evolution (5)
Molecular Genetics Embryology (shows common ancestry) Anatomy/ morphology Biogeography Palaeontology
Levels of evolution (2)
Microevolution (mutations in small increments)
Macroevolution (major changes)
4 main forces of evolution (in order)
Mutations
Gene flow
Genetic Drift
Geographic isolation
Fitness (1)
- Sum of features that increase or decrease the liklihood of survival and reproduction
Adaptations (2)
- Influences fitness
- Changes to survive in an environment
Trait (2)
- Phenotype that allows to survive and reproduce (or not)
- Will be passed on too
Selective Agent (2)
- Often only nature
- Pressure on a trait to adapt
Needs for natural selection (4)
- Variation (to allow for differences and change)
- Fitness (advantage or disadvantage to allow change over time)
- Inheritance (too pass on fitness)
- Limited Resources (allow competition and change)
Subtypes of Fitness (3)
Darwinian/ direct fitness: better genes = more success
Indirect fitness: interactions with conspecifics (helping family; kin)
Inclusive fitness: both
Direct fitness : 3 types
- Traits improve chances of survival
- Correlated traits (epistasis)
- Sexual Selection (improving intrasexual competition)
Grey Squirrels: Sexual selection (5)
- Used to be always grey
- Now 50/50 grey and black
- Black ones are likely more preferred by females
- Black ones could be more assertive
- Black coat may be linked another trait (pleiotropy)
Reproductive success (3)
# of offspring # of weaned individuals # of individuals able to mate
Reciprocal Altruism
- Taking risk for another (often not related) with the assumption the other with help you back later
Spiteful Behaviour (2)
- Much more rare in animals
- Animals excellent at deescalation
Symbiosis
- interaction between two different species
Symbiosis types (3)
- Mutualism (both benefit)
- Commensalism (one benefits, other unaffected)
- Parasitism (one benefits, other damaged)
Evolutionary stable strategies (3)
Non replaceable strategies
Pure ESS: single strategy for all in the pop
Mixed ESS: Combo of strategies used by all
Types of Selection (3)
- Artificial (selective breeding)
- Natural Selection (Kin and sexual)
- Group Selection (voluntary behaviour to help the species; helping those who are unrelated)
Levels of Evolution (6)
Gene (selfish gene theory) Gamete (sperm competition) Individual (individual selection) Mating Pair (sexual Selection) Immediate/ extended family (kin selection) Group level (group selection
Products of evolution
- Adaptations
- By products (carried along traits)
- Noise or random effects (either non selected or random)
Products of evolution: Random effects (3)
- Chance mutation
- Sudden environmental change
- Chance developmental effects
Maintaining non adaptive traits
Gene flow
Pleiotropy
Linkage
Epistasis
Progressivism Fallacy
- Adapting traits does not mean direction of improvement or perfection
Purposivism Fallacy (2)
- Evolution does not equal increase in complexity
- Complexity is not always better
culture examples
Japanese Macaque
Great tits
Wolves and hierarchies
Challenges to natural selection (5)
- Adoption
- Altruism with non-kin
- Homosexual behaviour
- Risk-taking behaviour
- Symbiosis
Challenges to natural selection: Adoption
- May be hormonal
- May be societal
- Learn by practice
