Sex and Behaviour Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

What is parental investment?

A

Use of resources by a parent to benefit future or existing offspring

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the benefits of parental investment?

A

Increased number of offspring, improved chance of survival, increasing the evolutionary fitness of the parent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What can parental investment be in terms of?

A
  • Resources used in production in gametes
  • Resources used to provide an environment suitable for fertilisation
  • Resources used for parental care
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What takes more parental investment, production of an egg or a sperm?

A

Egg

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Why is there a bigger investment in the production of an egg?

A

Larger eggs

Need to contain an energy source

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the selection pressure for eggs?

A

Larger eggs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the selection pressure for sperm?

A

Contain no excess mass so they can be fast moving

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Describe polygamy

A

Each individual may mate with several others in the same reproductive season

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Describe monogamy

A

Each individual only shares gametes with one other individual

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are the two type of parental care strategists?

A

R and K strategists

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Describe characteristics of R selected strategists

A
Unstable Environment
Short Maturation Span
Short Lifespan
Usually high death rate
Small size of offspring
No/Little Parental Care
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

An organism has a high level of parental care, lives in a stable environment and has a long life span, what type of strategist are they?

A

K selected Strategists

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is a sessile organism?

A

Organisms that are fixed in one space or very slow moving

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

State examples of solutions by sessile organisms for reproduction

A

Being self fertile
Synchronised release of gametes
Use of other organisms to carry gametes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

State some costs of external fertilization

A

Low success rate
Relies on environment
Little selection over mate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Give some benefits of internal fertilization

A

Fewer gametes need to be produced

Greater control in choosing a mate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Give some costs of internal fertilization

A

Greater exposure to predators whilst finding a mate

Increased risk of parasitism

18
Q

What does courtship involve?

A

Behaviours and Characteristics associated with attracting a mate

19
Q

What results in the evolution of elaborate and intricate courtship displays and sexual dimorphism?

A

Sexual selection

20
Q

What is a sign stimuli?

A

Stimuli capable of triggering a fixed action pattern response in another member of the species

21
Q

What is a fixed action pattern response?

A

Series of acts that occur behaviorally and instinctively in animals when triggered by a sign stimuli

22
Q

Give an example of a sign stimuli/fixed action pattern response pathway

A

The swollen belly of a female stickleback acts as a sign stimuli for the male to commence his zig-zag courtship dance

23
Q

What is imprinting?

A

Irreversible developmental process that occurs during a critical time period in young animals

24
Q

How does imprinting increase fitness?

A

Through natural selection

Forming an attachment to a parent that provides care increases survival chance

25
Q

How can imprinting affect an organism in later life?

A

Influence mate choice

Pick mate that resembles parental phenotypes

26
Q

What is Sexual Dimorphism?

A

Differences in characteristics between two sexes of the same species

27
Q

What leads to sexual dimorphism?

A

Sexual selection

28
Q

What are differences typically in, in relation to sexual dimorphism?

A

Size and colouration

29
Q

What is reverse sexual dimorphism?

A

Differences in characteristics between two sexes of the same species resulting in a more conspicuous female

30
Q

Give an example of a group of species with reverse sexual dimorphism

A

Birds of Prey

31
Q

What is a sneaker male?

A

A male that is not the strongest or biggest so superficially resembles a female in order to avoid male to male rivalry and sneak in a mate with females

32
Q

Give an example of a species that has sneaker males

A

Blue gill sunfish

33
Q

What characteristics are likely to make a male successful in male to male rivalry?

A

Large in size
Greater weaponry
Stronger

34
Q

What is a ‘honest signal’?

A

Characteristics that allow potential mates to assess the genetic quality of the males

35
Q

Good phenotypic quality is an indicator of what in males?

A

Good genes

Low parasitic burden

36
Q

What is a lek?

A

Area where birds gather during mating season for community courtship displays

37
Q

Describe lekking

A

Communal displaying by groups of males, females visit the lek area to assess males and select a suitable mate
Dominant males tend to win females and satellite males attempt to intercept females at the peripheral of the lek area

38
Q

Explain what is meant by a lekking species

A

Males gather in communal area to display and females assess the males

39
Q

Explain why lekking is often given as an example of sexual selection

A

Displaying increases male’s chances of passing on genes

40
Q

State a benefit to females in receiving honest signals

A

Offspring of the female will have more favorable characteristics