Ch.51 Behavioral Biology

I. Behavior = What an animal does and how it does it Ultimate causation – evolutionary reason for the behavior Proximate causation – immediate cause underlying behavior ex. Behavior - Bluegill sunfish breed in spring and early summer – Proximate cause – breeding triggered by day length activating pineal gland –Ultimate cause – breeding most successful when temp. and food is optimal.

A.Genes and environment Nature/nurture – there are various phenotypes(nature) and various environmental factors like chemical, hormonal and physical (nurture)conditions that effect behavior

B.Innate behavior is developmentally fixed All behaviors require an environment to be expressed. Innate behaviors are those which change little despite a range of environments they are therefore said to be fixed.

C.FAP- fixed action pattern Triggered by external stimulus Adaptive responses Ex. Protective behavior in hen turkeys FAP – Mothering behavior Stimulus – Cheeping sounds of chicks A deaf turkey can not hear chicks and kills them

D.Behavioral ecology emphasizes science as a process – Fitness is most important Optimal behavior will maximize fitness Animals modify behavior to keep the ratio of energy gain to loss high

II.Learning- experience-based modification of behavior Maturation- Development of neuromuscular system that allows behavioral improvement Habituation – learning to ignore irrelevant stimuli or stimuli that convey little or no information ( cry- wolf effect)

A.Imprinting- learning limited to a critical period Imprinting is learning that takes place during a particular time ( this is why abandoned young will be fed with a mock parent- so they recognize their own kind rather than humans)

III.Animal cognition –A.Cognition and the nervous system –Cognition- the ability of an animal’s nervous system to perceive and use sensory info.

B.Kinesis/Taxis Kinesis – change in activity rate in response to a stimulus Taxis – semiautomatic, directed movement toward or away from a stimulus

IV.Social Behavior and sociobiology –A.Sociobiology – study of social behavior –B.Competitive social behaviors »1.Agonistic – contest that determines who will get a resource. »2.Dominance hierarchies- top ranked individual in control 3.Territoriality – territories for feeding mating etc. are defended.

Using landmarks to find the nest

A.Mating behavior –1.Courtship – Important to achieve the best mating situation –2.Mating system »a.Promiscuous – no lasting relationship »b.Monogamous – One male mates with one female »c.Polygamous- One sex mates with several of the other sex

A.Communication – transmission of information between individuals –1.Animals lie – mimicry –2.Pheromones –chemical signals B.Inclusive fitness and altruism –1.Altruism – decreases individual fitness but increases the fitness of recipient –2.Inclusive fitness – total effect an individual has on the proliferation of its genes.

Altruism

R and K strategiesR and K strategies ch.56