Biology 3401 Animal Behaviour Introduction

Scientific Method Make Observation Formulate hypothesis to explain observation Pass Test Hypothesis Fail Pass Many Hypothesis Theory Pass Test Theory Fail Pass Many Theory Law Fail

Tinbergen's Observations on the Bee Wolf - Philanthus triangulum The Scientific Method Tinbergen's Observations on the Bee Wolf - Philanthus triangulum

Tinbergen's Observations on the Bee Wolf - Philanthus triangulum The Scientific Method Tinbergen's Observations on the Bee Wolf - Philanthus triangulum 1.Observation - Female flies in a circle before going to hunt? 2. Hypothesis - Female is using landmarks to find the nest. 3. Prediction - Female will return to a landmark to find the nest. 4. Test - Place an artificial landmark around the nest and move it when the female is away 5. Result - Female orients to new landmark. 6. Confirm hypothesis 

Tinbergen's Observations on the Bee Wolf - Philanthus triangulum The Scientific Method Tinbergen's Observations on the Bee Wolf - Philanthus triangulum 1. Question – Is the female responding to the cones or their scent. 2. Hypothesis - Female is using visual cues to find the nest. 3. Prediction - Female will return to a landmark to find the nest. 4. Test - Place an artificial landmark around the nest and include scented (pine oil) pads. 5. Move the cones and add unscented pads when the female is away but leave the scented pads at the nest 6. Result - Female orients to pine cones and not scented pads. 6. Confirm hypothesis 

First Representations of Animal Behaviour

Greek Philosophers Aristotle (384-322 BCE) Perfect ‘Type’ e.g.

COMPARISON OF ETHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY Ethology Psychology - origins in physiology & medicine - origins in natural history early focus understanding adaptive value of behaviour in the wild early focus understanding causation and motivation of human behaviour using animal models - field-based - laboratory-based - initially more observational - initially more empirical

Historical Figures 1. Charles Darwin

Darwin - Published Books 1835 Journal of researches (or voyage of the Beagle) 1840 The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Questions about the breeding of animals The structure and distribution of coral reefs. 1845 Geological observations on South America. Geological observations on the volcanic islands visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle. 1850 A monograph of the sub-class Cirripedia, Fossil Cirripedia 1855 On the Origin of Species 1860 The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects. The movements and habits of climbing plants. 1865 The variation of animals and plants under domestication. 1870 The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. The expression of the emotions in man and animals. 1875 Insectivorous plants. The effects of cross and self fertilisation in the vegetable kingdom. The different forms of flowers on plants of the same species. 1880 The power of movement in plants. The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms. 1885

Darwin - Published Books 1835 Journal of researches (or voyage of the Beagle) 1840 The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Questions about the breeding of animals The structure and distribution of coral reefs. 1845 Geological observations on South America. Geological observations on the volcanic islands visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle. 1850 A monograph of the sub-class Cirripedia, Fossil Cirripedia 1855 On the Origin of Species 1860 The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects. The movements and habits of climbing plants. 1865 The variation of animals and plants under domestication. 1870 The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. The expression of the emotions in man and animals. 1875 Insectivorous plants. The effects of cross and self fertilisation in the vegetable kingdom. The different forms of flowers on plants of the same species. 1880 The power of movement in plants. The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms. 1885

Historical Figures 1. Charles Darwin

Historical Figures 2. Douglas Spalding

Historical Figures 3. Lloyd Morgan

Historical Figures 4. Julian Huxley - Courtship habits of the great crested grebe

Historical Figures 5. J.B. Watson 6. B.F.Skinner

Historical Figures 7. Karl von Frisch

Historical Figures 8. Konrad Lorenz

Historical Figures 9. Niko Tinbergen

Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology -1973 Konrad Lorenz 1903 - 1989 Karl von Frisch 1886 - 1982 Niko Tinbergen 1907 - 1988

Behaviour - What is it?

Behaviour - movement (or motor patterns) Includes: Movement Vocalization Chemical release Colour change

Behaviour - series of coordinated muscular contractions -organized into motor patterns or units

Tinbergen’s Four Questions (The 4 Why’s) Why is this bird singing? (This is actually 4 questions) 1. What causes this bird to sing (or: what are the anatomical and physiological mechanisms underlying the behaviour)? 2. How did this behaviour develop in the lifetime of the bird? 3. What is it singing for (territory, mates)? 4. How did this behaviour evolve?

Tinbergen’s Four Questions A. Proximate Causes a. What is the immediate cause of a behaviour? - genetic bases - neural mechanisms - hormonal mechanisms - environmental (external stimuli) - precedent events

Tinbergen’s Four Questions A. Proximate Causes a. What is the immediate cause of a behaviour? b. What is the ontogeny (or development) of a behaviour? - changes with age - interaction of genes with environment (over time) - innate vs. learned components

Tinbergen’s Four Questions A. Proximate Causes a. What is the immediate cause of a behaviour? b. What is the ontogeny (or development) of a behaviour? B. Ultimate Causes a. What are the functional (adaptive) reasons for a behaviour? - contribution of a behaviour pattern to individual fitness - how does natural selection influence a behaviour?

Tinbergen’s Four Questions A. Proximate Causes a. What is the immediate cause of a behaviour? b. What is the ontogeny (or development) of a behaviour? B. Ultimate Causes a. What are the functional (adaptive) reasons for a behaviour? b. What is the evolutionary history of a behaviour? - expression of a behaviour in related species - evolutionary changes in behaviour in related lineages

SUMMARY BEHAVIOUR PATTERN(S) Neural mechanisms Physiological mechanisms Individual survival & reproductive success Genetic mechanisms Developmental mechanisms Gene pool of next generation

Genetic/Developmental Levels of Analysis in Ethology Proximate Causes Ultimate Causes Genetic/Developmental Mechanisms Sensory/Motor Mechanisms Historical Pathways Selective Processes -adaptive context ? -effects of heredity -development of sensory- motor systems gene-environment interactions -nervous systems for stimulus detection -hormone systems for adjusting response levels -muscles for carrying out responses -evolutionary development of a trait Why? How?

Ecology Population Biology Evolutionary Biology Genetics Ethology Sociobiology Endocrinology Neurophysiology Physiology