Animal Behavior - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Animal Behavior

Chapter 35Slide2

The Study of BehaviorBehavior is everything an animal does and how it does it

Behavioral Ecology

is the study of behavior through the lens of evolution

Mechanisms underlying behaviorEffects of behavior on survival and fitnessProximate and Ultimate Questions*A biological mechanism, in the case of behavior, would include the physical actionsof the animal and the underlying physiologySlide3

Proximate Questions

Proximate (how) questions deal with immediate causes

Example:

How is mutual grooming behavior between male impalas initiated?Scientists observe the impalas for precursors to groomingResultsTicks must be presentA male impala approaches another male and scrapes 4-8 timesIf he receives a respond in kind, grooming commencesSlide4

Ultimate Questions“

Why

questions”

Why would mutual grooming improve reproductive fitness?The loss of blood due to ticks weakens the impala and ticks spread disease that may kill the animalImpalas that carry out mutual grooming are more likely to reproduceSlide5

Fixed Action Patterns (FAPs)Innate behaviors are those performed by all members of a species

FAPs are innate behaviors performed in a specific sequence – typically performed in its entirety from start to finish

Graylag goose – egg retrieval

Sign stimulus is the trigger for an FAPThese FAPs are commonly essential for fitnessKittiwake chicks have a natural aversion to cliff edgesSlide6

Behavior Comes from Genes and Environment

All structural and functional features are derived from a combination of genetic and environmental factors

Behavioral differences in different species of the same genus are commonly caused by differences in their environments

Monogamous volesOxytocin receptorsMice raised in environments dissimilar to their typical homes have been shown to radically change parenting and mating behaviorsPages 706-707Slide7

LearningLearning is a change in behavior due to an experienceHabituation is the lack of a response to an innocuous stimulus after repeated exposureSlide8

Imprinting

Imprinting is an irreversible learned behavior, limited to a specific time in an animal’s life

The specific time is called the sensitive period

Konrad Lorenz gosling experimentsIs imprinting learned or innate?Slide9

Animal Movement

Kinesis: random movement in response to stimulus

Sow bugs in dry environments

Taxis: movement toward/away from a stimulusTrout in current Spatial Learning: The use of landmarks to navigateThe digger waspSlide10

Internal MapsA cognitive map is an internalized representation of an animal’s habitat

Migrating species use a variety of navigational aides

Whales - shoreline

Birds - starsButterflies - innateSlide11

Stimulus Response LearningAssociative behavior is a learned response, commonly to a reward

Trial-and-error learning is an example of associative behavior

Animals come to associate a behavior with positive/negative consequence

Leopard attacks porcupineStart at 3:00Slide12

Social Learning

Social learning is the development or improvement of a behavior by observation of others

Predators learn hunting tactics this way

Many animals fine-tune their alarm calls this waySlide13

Problem SolvingCognition is an animals ability to accept information by their senses and to process and use that information

Many “lower” species are able to place items into categories

Apes, dolphins, and some bird species are capable of higher- level problem solving

Using toolsMulti-step problemsSlide14

Foraging

Foraging includes actions related to searching for, recognizing, and capturing food items.

Generalists eat whatever happens to be available

Specialists focus on only a few food items“Search images” allow foraging animals to scan an area for a familiar color/shape corresponding to a particular food itemAnimals are generally very efficient in their foragingSwitching between food items based on availabilityForaging in groupsSlide15

Mating BehaviorsMating behavior is determined by how much attention the offspring need

Mammals are typically promiscuous because the young feed on their mother’s milk

Most birds are monogamous because the young mush be fed continuallySlide16

Courtship Rituals

A series of behaviors are often carried out in a specific sequence

Some species perform mating rituals in groups

Typically the females chooseFemales have a bigger investmentMale traits driving female decisions are often correlated with healthSociobiologists put social behaviors in evolutionary contextSlide17

TerritorySome animals mark and defend a specific area for mating, raising young, or foraging

Other members of the species are generally excluded from the area (commonly one sex)Slide18

ConfrontationAgonistic behavior is used to resolve disputesPosturing is much more common than physical aggression due to risk of injury

After the ritual, one individual submits to the other

Dominance hierarchySlide19

Communication

Nocturnal mammals use different modes of communication that diurnal birds

Aquatic species use chemical and auditory signals

Level of social organization shows a positive correlation to complexity of communicationsSlide20

Altruism

Altruism is the reduction of one’s fitness for the benefit of other individuals

Inclusive fitness is the propagation and protection of individuals that share genes

Reciprocal altruism, seen in dolphins and chimps, is the act of helping an unrelated member of the same species that may “return the favor” in the futureSlide21

Experiments in BehaviorWhat questions can we askDesigning testable hypotheses

Pill bugs’ behavior

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