T1: Overview of Animal Behavior *done

Question 1

Why study behavior?

Answer 1

1. curiosity
2. survival
3. husbandry
4. productivity (economic interests)
5. protection
6. insight into human behaviors

Question 2

Who is Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

Answer 2

scientist/observer
-animals equipment for survival
-paved the way for objective scientific experiments

Question 3

Who is Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

Answer 3

career centered around the lab and controlled experiments, developed the conditioned reflex

Question 4

Who is Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989)

Answer 4

conviction that an animals behavior, like its physical adaptations, was part of its equipment for survival and was the product of adaptive evolution imprinting

Question 5

Who is Niko Tinbergen (1907-1988)

Answer 5

Tinbergen attempted to understand how the complex behavior machinery of each animals helps it to meet the many pressures of its environment

-The “4 Whys”

Question 6

What did Niko Tinbergen state in his paper

Answer 6

he defined the four major categories for explanations of animal behavior
1. mechanism
2. ontogeny
3. adaptive value
4. phylogeny

• separate these into proximate/ ultimate causes

Question 7

What is the difference between proximate and ultimate

Answer 7

Prox: short term, developmental, genetic

Ult: Long term, evolutionary, adaptive

Question 8

Tinbergen’s four questions provide

Answer 8

a comprehensive, logical approach to study behavior

Question 9

What are the characteristics of proximate causes

Answer 9

• how genetic-developmental mechanisms influence the assembly
  -how neuronal-hormonal mechanisms develop within an animal

Question 10

What are the characteristics of ultimate causes

Answer 10

• the evolutionary history of a behavioral trait as affected by descent
  -the adaptive value of a behavioral trait as affected by the process of evolution

Question 11

Whare the two proximate causes in Tinbergen’s four questions

Answer 11

1. mechanism (causation): physiology of behavior; the mechanistic explanations
2. Onotgeny (Development)=: how does this behavior change with age, experience and experience

Question 12

What are the ultimate causes in Tinbergen’s four questions

Answer 12

1. adaptive value (function): how does this behavior help the species survive.
   ho
2. Phylogeny (evolution): how does the behavior evolve in the species

Question 13

What is ontogeny

Answer 13

behavioral development of an individual

Question 14

What is phylogeny

Answer 14

the evolution of a race or genetically similar group

Question 15

what is the Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

Answer 15

-field mice, found in the prairie
-form long-term social bonds with their mates and produce multiple litters together

Question 16

What is the difference between the Prairie (monogamous) and montane (polygamous)

Answer 16

voles look quite similar, but the distribution of oxytocin vasopressin receptors in the brain, not the binding characteristics of the receptors is different between species

(V1a: receptor)

Question 17

Describe monogamy in prairie voles

Answer 17

copulation: some brain areas release large amounts of vasopressin—- binds to ventral pallium vasopressin receptors (V1a)
— neural pathway of reward (positive feedbacks for mating behaviors; brain physiology)

Question 18

The V1a receptor is encoded to the avrp1a gene

Answer 18

that has a specific chuck of DNA that is lacking in the polygynous montane voles versions of the same gene

Question 19

What does the avrps1a gene involve?

Answer 19

had something to do with the brain development of male prairie voles (thus the mating system)

Question 20

Why are prairie voles monogamous? Part 1

Answer 20

1. hormonal/nervous system mechanisms: proximate cause (V1a receptors)
   – provides the male vole with positive rewards when with one female.

–This theory suggests that monogamy is a product of brain physiology

Question 21

Why are prairie volves ponogamous? Part 2

Answer 21

2. Genetic/developmental explanations (proximate cause)

–the avpr1a gene codes for the V1A protein receptor
– this theory suggests that monogamy is a product of a modified gene

Question 22

Why are prairie voles monogamous?

Answer 22

1. selection and adaptation explanation: ultimate cause
   – mate guarding ensures that males will sire all of a female’s offspring
2. Evolutionary history: ultimate cause
   -ancestry

this theory suggests that monogamy is a product of reproductive benefits

Question 23

Behavior is the action that…

Answer 23

alters the relationship between an organism and its environment

Question 24

Every behavior is the expression of a ____ and/or a cerebral activity

Answer 24

brain function

Question 25

every behavioral act has many consequences, some deleterious, some _____

Answer 25

some neutral and some beneficial to reproductive success

Question 26

What is the definition of success, why is it important

Answer 26

genetic perspective; the ability to leave viable offspring

the only way that an individual is able to contribute his/her genes to the next generation

Question 27

Evolution involves ____…

Answer 27

changes in the gene structure of a population, its is a gradual change in the inherited traits of a population over many generations

Question 28

Natural Selection ____those behaviors …

Answer 28

favors those behaviors (individual) which, increases chances of survival and reproduction (success) it occurs over a long period of time

Question 29

What is evolution and where do we see it today?

Answer 29

information about wild or feral relatives provides clues about the origin of particular behaviors.

– hot topic in the world of dog training

Question 30

What are the components to animal hereditary

Answer 30

1. breed and strain differences are usually of genetic origin

Question 31

What was the importance of the silver fox experiment?

Answer 31

• Dmitry Belyaev, russia
  -selection for about 40 yr tamability -Experiments was successful in that the foxes would seek human attention
• correlated changes in appearance phenotype_

Question 32

what is genetic variability

Answer 32

the necessary for genetic progress

Question 33

What is heritability, specifically if it is high

Answer 33

indicates close association between phenotype and genotype, so genetic progress is relatively efficient

Question 34

What is artificial selection

Answer 34

animals breeders may change behavior through selection, unaware of their influence

– correlated responses to selection

Question 35

Selection for anatomical or productivity traits may change

Answer 35

• irritability
• susceptibility to social stress
• reproductive capabilities
  -behaviors, functional characteristics

Question 36

What do we need to do in regards to artificial selection

Answer 36

we need to be aware of correlated responses to artificial selection and monitor their effects in selected populations

Question 37

What is fitness

Answer 37

the ability of an organism to survive and reproduce

to survive and reproduce in the environment in which they find themselves

Question 38

What is the negative effect of fitness

Answer 38

the consequence of this survival and reproduction is that organisms contribute genes to the next generation

Question 39

What are the two main questions for artificial selection

Answer 39

1. Will unselected groups do as well in that environment?
2. Will the selected population do as well in a different environment

Question 40

**What is epigenetics

Answer 40

a mechanism for regulating gene activity independent of DNA sequence that determines which genes are turned on or off

the study of changes in organisms caused by modification of gene expression rather than alteration of the genetic code itself

• in a particular cell type
• in different disease states
• in response to a physiological stimulus