ch51 behavior ecology. behavioral ecology is the study of the ecological and evolutionary basis for...
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Ch51 Behavior Ecology
• Behavioral ecology is the study of the ecological and evolutionary basis for animal behavior
• A fixed action pattern a sequence of unlearned, innate behaviors that is unchangeable
• Once initiated, it is usually carried to completion
• triggered by an external cue, a sign stimulus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfcGZCGdGVE&list=PL4C2DAEF2C65122DE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUNZv-ByPkU
• Fixed Action Pattern in Geese:– If an egg is taken from them they will not stop
until it is returned, ‘head bobbing motion’ to roll egg back to nest.
What role does the environment play in signaling?
• Phototropism – growth of a plant towards (+) or away (-) from light
http://plantsinmotion.bio.indiana.edu/plantmotion/movements/tropism/phototropism/corn/cornworship.html
Sunflowers track the sun Why?
Circadian Rhythms
• Process that follows a routine 24 hour cycle
• What is the signal?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUwbbLZANVE
Photoperiodism• A physiological response to the relative
lengths of day and night
Brain makes melatonin
• When there is less light, the SCN tells the brain to make more melatonin so you get drowsy.
Melatonin controls sleep
Jet lag
• What is the signal?
Monarch Migration
• The navigation of the fall migration of the Monarchs to their overwintering grounds in central Mexico uses a "sun compass" that depends upon a circadian clock in their antennae.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0m_rK_WpjQ
Animal Signals and Communication
• signal is a behavior that causes a change in another animal’s behavior
• Communication is the transmission and reception of signals
Fruit fly courtship
• http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/fruit-fly-courtship
Figure 39.16
(a) Worker bees (b) Round dance (food near)
(c) Waggle dance (food distant)
Location A Location B Location C
Beehive
A
BC
30
30
Waggle Dance• A bee returning from
the field performs a dance to communicate information about the distance and direction of a food source
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/weirdest-bees-dance
Nature vs. Nuture
• what behaviors are genetically based and what is learned (Nature vs. Nurture)
Serial Killer, Ted Bundy
Is a serial killer born that way?
Cross-fostering Exp• CA mice: aggressive, lots parental care• White-footed mice: less aggressive, little parental
care
Table 39.2
What can you conclude? Nature vs Nuture?
Dogs Decoded: At 31 Minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yN96Gid6Kjo
Prey Selection
• Coastal populations feed mostly on banana slugs, while inland populations rarely eat banana slugs
• Studies have shown >60% Coastal snakes ate the banana slugs, <20% of inland snakes did
Figure 39.25
What can you conclude? Nature vs Nuture?
Cross-fostering Exp
Genetics or Environment?
• Twin Studies-Compare identical twins raised apart vs twins raised together
Learning
• the modification of behavior based on specific experiences
• Imprinting – the establishment of a
long-lasting behavioral response to a particular individual during a specific time in development, the sensitive period
Figure 39.17a
(a) Konrad Lorenz and geese
Conservation efforts
• Young whooping cranes can imprint on humans in “crane suits” who then lead crane migrations using ultralight aircraft
Figure 39.17b
(b) Pilot and cranes
Spatial learning
• digger wasps use landmarks to find nest entrances
Figure 39.18Experiment
Pinecone
Results
Nest
NestNo nest
http://www.flyfishingdevon.co.uk/salmon/year1/psy128ethology_experiments/wasp_learning_activity.htm
Associative Learning
Figure 39.19
Blue Jay learns that Monarchs will cause them to vomit
Classical Conditioning (Pavlov's Dogs)
OPERANT CONDITIONINGInvolves "training" a behavior using a reward or punishment system.
Skinner Box
Mating Systems and Parental Care
• Monogamous vs Polygamous?
• Is paternal care crucial for survival of offspring?
• Certainty of paternity?
Altruism
• Natural selection favors behavior that maximizes an individual’s survival and reproduction – selfish
• some animals behave in ways that reduce their individual fitness but increase the fitness of others - altruism
Inclusive fitness & Kin selection• natural selection that
favors this kind of altruistic behavior by enhancing reproductive success of relatives
• Ex:• Belding ground
squirrels – alarm call when predators nearby
• Naked mole rats – in colonies of 75+, only one queen and 3 kings do all the reproduction
Hamilton’s rule
• Natural selection favors altruism when rB C
• This inequality is called Hamilton’s rule• Would you risk your life to save your
brother/sister?
Yes!• Assume the average individual
has two children. As a result of the sister’s action
– The brother can now father two children, so B 2
– The sister has a 25% chance of dying and not being able to have two children, so C 0.25 2 0.5
– The brother and sister share half their genes on average, so r 0.5
• If the sister saves her brother, rB ( 1) C ( 0.5)
Figure 39.27
Parent A Parent B
Sibling 1 Sibling 2
½ (0.5)probability
OR
½ (0.5)probability