natural selection

Question 1

the two men associated with fitness in natural selection

Answer 1

Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace

Question 2

what are two ways nature is significant in terms of fitness?

Answer 2

• adapts species to a changing environment

- selects from variable populations the most “fit individual”

Question 3

fitness measures what?

Answer 3

reproductive success

Question 4

how are traits determined by fitness?

Answer 4

transmissible by biological inheritance

Question 5

is the determination of fitness species-limited ?

Answer 5

yes

Question 6

how can we determine if an animal is adapted to its environment?

Answer 6

by its physicality and behavior and if it survives

Question 7

if an animal is highly adapted to a specialized environment, what is needed?

Answer 7

genetic variability

Question 8

what happens when there is population loss

Answer 8

lack of genetic variation and there was a too sudden change in the environment (ex. timidness)

Question 9

behavior considered typical of a population may be changed by what?

Answer 9

• genetic selection

- learning and social tradition

Question 10

define and provide an example of social inheritance

Answer 10

• what the offspring learns from parental generation

ex. farmers poisoned lamb caracasses and coyotes learned to avoid them and only eat live lambs

Question 11

what are the necessities that shape behavior? true or false: a successful animal will have more of one of these traits than the other

Answer 11

food
shelter
mates
avoiding predation

false: a successful animal will have balanced behaviors

Question 12

what happens when there is an explosive population

Answer 12

there won’t be enough resources for species

Question 13

true or false: if there is a stable population they’re in optimum conditions

Answer 13

true

Question 14

are starvation, disease, predation the only limiting factors for population growth?

Answer 14

no, the behavior phenomena as well

Question 15

what is territorial regulation and provide an example

Answer 15

animal defends its area of living, aggressive acts directed against other members of the same species and sex which trespass

ex. marking territory by spraying or scratching a tree

Question 16

which gender is more likely to show territoriality?

Answer 16

males

Question 17

what are the benefits of territoriality?

Answer 17

• increased probability of successful reproduction
• reduced predation
• adequate food supply

Question 18

which animals are territoriality not common in?

Answer 18

domesticated hoofed animals

Question 19

name and define the types of space

Answer 19

• home range- larger than territory, area which animal learns thoroughly in which habitually uses, not defended, can overlap
• territory- defends area by fighting or demarcation and other individuals detect it and serves as a deterrent
• individual space- minimal distance animal preserves for itself

Question 20

why may there be a reduction in male breeding success in feral populations?

Answer 20

• low social status

- competition in polygynous species

Question 21

what is the difference between polygamy and polyandry?

Answer 21

polyandry is strictly females mating with several males and not vice versa

Question 22

why is the difference in male status not an important regulator in population size?

Answer 22

one male can mate with many females

Question 23

why is low social status of females important in controlling population size?

Answer 23

litter bearers, low ranking females can be forced out of the pack or not allowed to mate

Question 24

crowding leads to _____?

Answer 24

stress

Question 25

define stress

Answer 25

physiological changes that reduce reproductive capacity

Question 26

define self preservation

Answer 26

animal sustains itself, to cope reproduction decreases

Question 27

what happens when there is an increase in population density where it is crowded?

Answer 27

population and production decrease, more injury

Question 28

define secondary sexual dimorphism

Answer 28

males and females have different looks, morphology, body presence differs depending on sex

Question 29

which species exhibit or lack secondary dimorphism

Answer 29

mammalian and avian

Question 30

how does dimorphism attract females and why?

Answer 30

- males are larger, more colorful, weapons | - males compete with other males to breed with females

Question 31

define ungulates

Answer 31

hoofed mammal

Question 32

define gallinaceous

Answer 32

domestic fowl

Question 33

Compare ethograms of species with marked secondary sexual dimorphism and those without

Answer 33

marked dimorphism - live in large social groups - don't typically pair bond - lots of females and one or two breeding males, well organized social groups - breeding males possess harems (polygyny) - young are precocial (don't need as much parental care, developed at birth) - horses lacking dimorphism - live in nuclear family unit - pair bonding of male and female - young are altricial - cats., dogs, primates

Question 34

what species are the exception to dimorphism

Answer 34

ducks and geese

Question 35

why do differences exist in sexually dimorphic species?

Answer 35

males compete for females, so to be successful breeding they have to be competitive to pass on their genes

Question 36

why do males in polygynous, dimorphic species dominate other males?

Answer 36

they produce more offspring and that male gets the advantage

Question 37

list the function of males

Answer 37

inseminate females litter care of young expendable (as dominate male starts to age, younger males try to knock him off and take his place)

Question 38

what is the purpose of females

Answer 38

fitness = the ability to provide adequate care of young

Question 39

which sex has a larger lifespan and why

Answer 39

females because they bear the offspring and don't have the responsibility of protecting and fighting

Question 40

why is instinctive behavior controversial?

Answer 40

genes vs environment | - implies behavior is entirely controlled by genetics

Question 41

define innate behavior

Answer 41

increases fitness and occurs in adequate form when first needed

Question 42

define behavior patterns

Answer 42

combination of innate and learned components

Question 43

what are examples of behavior patterns

Answer 43

- characteristic movements of newborn mammals to locate mammary gland - suckle - swallow - distress call of lost - isolate neonatal

Question 44

define innate releasing mechanism (IRM)

Answer 44

hypothetical mechanism that is selectively sensitive to release stimuli for a particular instinctive action

Question 45

example of innate releasing mechanism

Answer 45

piglet knows to suck on teat

Question 46

how does a primate take care of her young when she is isolated

Answer 46

maternal behavior is lost because studies show that primate maternal behavior is learned