Topic 1 - BS2066-77 Lecture 2.3 Metaplasticity

Question 1

What is metaplasticity?

Answer 1

Whether the ability to plasticise is also plasticised.
- Plaaticity of plasticity

Question 2

Metaplasticity in locusts

Answer 2

• Locusts learn about food ( toxicity) = plasticity 1
• Different types of locusts differ in the way they learn about food = plasticity 2

Question 3

Solitarious learning:

Answer 3

Rely on crypsis ( camouflage) and avoid eating toxic food.
- I.e, food that have alkaloids such as henbane

Question 4

Long term gregarious learning

Answer 4

Aposematism ( warning colours) - feed on toxic plants.
- Locust defends through ingesting toxins and use them as chemical defence against predators

Question 5

Associative learning in locusts

Answer 5

• Odour food conditioning, I.e., pavlov’s dog
• Locusts are trained to associate + familiarise an odour to an artificial food paste.