Week 5 + 6 - principle of animal biology Flashcards
1
Q
what is animal biology
A
- Can mean different thing to different people
- It can encompass biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, endocrinology etc.
- The emphasis here is aspects of whole organism biology
2
Q
what is animal biology?
taxonomy?
A
the classification of organisms
3
Q
what is animal biology?
evolution
A
- The process of development of living organisms from earlier forms
4
Q
what is animal biology
Phylogenesis
A
- The evolutionary development and diversification of a focal taxon
5
Q
what is animal biology
anatomy
A
- What does anatomy tell us about foraging strategies?
- What does anatomy tell us about its locomotion and general ecology?
6
Q
what is animal biology
Physiology
A
- The normal functions of organisms and their constituent parts
- How does the Bee Hummingbird, the smallest bird sustain itself
- How does the southern brown kiwi produce such an enormous egg
7
Q
what is animal biology
behaviour
A
- Why do these male Black grouse display how they do
- What is the significance of their secondary sexual ornaments
- How does this behaviour relate to their mating system
8
Q
what is animal biology
ecology
A
- The relationship between an organism and others, and with the environement
- How does population density influence productivity of this colony od Sooty Tern on ascension island in the south Atlantic?
- How do urban gulls benefit from feeding on rubbish dumps?
9
Q
what is animal biology
population dynamics
A
- How is population size influenced by
o Food avalibility
o Predation
o Competition
o Disease - How is population growth regulated?
10
Q
what is animal biology
reproduction
A
- How does breeding performance help to explain the ‘Vulnerable’ conservation status of this species
- Why does this female not lay more than three eggs?
- What are the benefits to this species of breeding cooperatively
11
Q
what is animal biology
conservation
A
- How did we get to the point where only 90 (TOP) and none (BOTTOM) of a species remain in the wild?
- How do we prioritse conservation efforts when so many species need protection and resouces are finite
- Why are some species more vulnerable than others?
- Don’t want wildlife to be habituated to humans
12
Q
why is animal biology important
A
- Our understanding of animal biology is as much about the evolution of scientific ideas as it is about natural selection
EXAMPLE - At the end of the summer in the UK phone lines sag under the weight of gathering birds at the end of their breeding seasons
