Target – exemplify learned behaviour

I can give advantages of learned behaviour. I can give some examples of learned behaviour. I can use results from an investigation to illustrate learning.

I can give advantages of learned behaviour. I can use results from an investigation to illustrate learning.

I can give advantages of learned behaviour. I can identify examples of learned behaviour.

Animals which use learned behaviour significantly increase their survival chances. This is mainly due to –

They learn behaviours to identify the richest food sources and the most effective feeding strategies

They learn what is potentially harmful and therefore to be avoided.

Animals which use learned behaviour show either long periods of parental care or living in social groups where members out with the family may also help with the learning process.

Recording – Learned behaviour

1. Write a definition of learned behaviour2. List the two main reasons why learned behaviour

increases survival chances3. Construct a table to show the setting for learned

behaviour (Parental or Social) in a variety of animal species.

Animal Learning setting

Add at least 3 examples of your own.

4. Explain why learned behaviour has little impact in amphibians and fish.

Measuring learning

You will be given two tasks to carry out, each of which requires you to learn how to carry out a simple task.

•Time your partner completing the task 10 times. •Record the time taken for each trial•Construct a bar graph to show the results.•Explain how your results show that learning is taking place.

Draw a pencil line from one star to the other without touching a line. The catch is …

Arrange the four pieces of the puzzle to make the big L shape. Do this as quickly as you can.

Task 1 – Jigsaw

Task 2 – Mirror draw

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Trial Jigsaw – time(s) Mirror draw – (s)

Trial

Time (s)

Target – Explain advantages of groups

I can give two reasons why animals often form large groups. I can explain the advantages of each. I can recognise and give examples of different types of groups for different purposes. I can talk about one example in detail.

I can give two reasons why animals often form large groups. I can explain the advantages of each. I can recognise and different types of groups for different purposes. I can talk about one example in some detail.

I can give two reasons why animals often form large groups. I can recognise and different types of groups for different purposes. I can talk about one example in some detail.

Swarming -

Swarming is a behaviour where huge numbers of animals come together. This may be as a migration, to do with breeding, to do with defence or with feeding.

Swarming in starlings is a defensive behaviour –

It is to do with safety in numbers. Large swarms combine the senses of lots of animals. Predators are more likely to be seenA large mass of constantly moving individuals makes it harder for a predator to single out one animal. The chances of any one individual being taken are reduced.

Starlings

Swarming may be linked to feeding. This is often the case when food becomes ripe at the one time, so large numbers of animals can be suddenly supported in the one place.

Locusts

Why are these tuna swarming?

Why are the tuna swarming?Why are the dolphins?What would the dolphins’ tactics be to catch fish effectively?

Similar swarming strategy can be seen in herds on the African Savannah. Zebra patterns make it hard for a predator to single out an individual.

This becomes even harder if the zebra are moving.

The predator’s strategy is to break up the swarm, by making the animals panic. If they stay together, their chances are much better than if you are separated from the herd.

Once an animal is separated out, the result is strongly in the predator’s favour.

Mixed herds mix the senses. Wildebeest have a keen sense of hearing and smell, but poor eyesight. Zebra have excellent eyesight. Mixing the groups makes the predator’s job harder.

Look at the slide quickly – then look away – how many individuals can you make out?

How many individuals can you make out now?

Defensive groups may be small, but highly organised.

If predators are around, musk ox form a defensive circle with the young in the centre.

The predator’s tactic is to break up the group. If the herd starts to run, the weakest will tend to fall to the back.

The shimmering, moving mass of starlings makes it hard for the hawk to single out an individual.

fish

bison

zebra

birds

caribou

Bats bbc

Bison bbc

Swarm bbc

Locusts bbc

Sardine bbc

Musk ox bbc

These clips are from the BBC Nature site and will work in school

These clips are from YouTube. They may not work in school. They will work at home.

Locusts are an example of a feedings swarm, not a defensive swarm. They live in desert regions where any rain means that crops will start to grow. The rain also triggers the hatching of large numbers of locusts

Locusts

By the time the locusts are mature, the plants have had time to grow. Huge numbers of locusts strip the vegetation bare. At the same time, they mate and lay eggs. By the time the young hatch, the adults will have moved on, leaving the newly re-grown fresh food for their offspring.

Locusts

Case studies

For each of the following write a few sentences to describe why swarming happens and how it increases survival chances –

•Starlings•Tuna•Bison•Zebra•Locusts

Pick one animal which shows swarming or herd behaviour and produce a single side A4 information poster on swarming – when, how and why.

Social behaviour and communication

Target – Describe social behaviours

I can describe social behaviours in a number of species and explain how these contribute to the success of the species

I can describe social behaviours in a few species and explain how these contribute to the success of the species

I can describe social behaviours in a number of species

Social behaviour is an extension of living in groups. What makes a social group a social group is the fact that different members of the group take on different roles and responsibilities. It is as important that the animals work for the success of the group as for their individual survival.In all cases, working as a team improves the survival chances of the animal by either –•Making it safer for the group as a whole•Making finding food more effective•Making their use of energy more efficient

Meerkats have a problem. They feed by digging insects from the ground, so need their heads down. Their main predator, however is a hawk.Some of the group take on the role of sentries. They sit on high points, watching for predators. They give out an alarm call if they see anything.

This allows the rest of the group to forage in safety, confident that they will hear an alarm if there is any danger. The animals take turn to be sentries, so that they all get a turn at good quality, safe foraging.

Wolves hunt in packs. Every member of the pack should be involved to make the hunt as successful as possible. Mothers with young cubs, however, do not join the hunt. They are performing a task for the good of the pack as a whole by raising their young. Other members of the pack bring food back for the babysitting mothers and for the cubs. Looking after the members of the pack who have not been hunting is still good for the success of the pack as a whole. In large packs, one mother stay to look after a number of cubs – her own and those of others in the pack.

Elephant herds are very organised social groups. There are normally only one or two males, whose job is defence.The herds are led by experienced matriarchs, who lead the herd from one water hole to another, or from one feeding ground to another.The females share the bringing up of the young and may even allow calves other than their own to suckle.

Primates show the most organised social groups. The males take care of hunting and defence; the females are involved in foraging for food and bringing up young. Again, this is collective care.

Females will share looking after young belonging to the group and share the care duties so that all get a chance to forage.

Living in groups

•Give one example where working as a team makes life safer for the group as a whole and individuals within it.

•Give one example where working as a team makes feeding more efficient, effective and successful.

•Give one example of where working as a team makes the use of energy more efficient for the animals in the group.

Living in groups is a complex business.

In some groups, there will be one male and a number of females with their young. Some younger males may stay with the group, but will be drive out when they become mature.

In other groups, a large number of males are an advantage to the group.

Both these patterns work because animals can work out their place in the hierarchy of the group –everybody understands how important they are.

Many social animals use play fighting while juveniles to work out who is strongest. The dominance is worked out before the animals are adults, where fighting may cause injury.

Primates often groom each other – picking insects out of the coat. Who is allowed to groom who is part of a complicated hierarchy of importance.

Sometimes threatening body language is used to establish dominance in the group. This avoids fights and possible bloodshed.Bared teeth, ears back and raised tails signal ‘I am dominant!’Rolling on your back to expose throat or belly, ears down and tail down are all signals that say ‘OK, you’re in charge!’

Dominance within the group is important because the dominant males and females may be the only ones allowed to breed. This helps to make sure the strongest breed most, which is good for the group.Dominance also establishes the ‘pecking order’ when it comes to sharing a kill. Again, the strongest in the group will survive best if food is scarce.

Social groupings

The link above takes you to the BBC Nature page on Social animals.

Use the clips below the main picture to look for examples of –

•How living in groups is an advantage for defence•How living in groups is an advantage for feeding•How dominance in groups is established and why it is important.

Your task is to make notes on at least four very different animals