Tinbergen's Behavior Model in Depth Environment Organism

Measuring Animal Behavior Observing vs. Watching The Detection Problem The observability of different subjects The problem of observer differences Identification of subjects

Measuring Animal Behavior, cntd. Identification and description of action patterns (ethograms, more later) and behavioral relics. Quantification (mensuration) - how do we measure behaviors? Not always possible.

Observer Sampling Techniques ad libitum (L. "at pleasure") Focal-animal sampling Scan (instantaneous) sampling One-zero sampling

Units of Behavior Single muscle contractions Action Patterns multiple contractions into a functional sequence stereotyped species-typical Complex Patterns consist of many linked action patterns What is the appropriate level to note? -- depends on the goals of the study.

Ethograms Catalog of behaviors and postures (ie., of action patterns) Name (short, descriptive, but “non -judgmental”) Description (only relevant ones need be included) Form Velocity Duration Amplitude Orientation Drawings

Examples of Descriptive Drawings

Further Examples Notice that this behavior actually consists of several action patterns. Whether to catagorize them as separate or together depends in large part on whether one reliably follows another.

Kinematic Diagrams Graphs that can be used to understand likely linkages of action patterns.

Making a Kinematic Diagram Abbreviations for Behaviors Behavior Sequence (note that time is not part of this description)

Making a Kinematic Diagram: Sequence Data Primary Transition Matrix:

Making a Kinematic Diagram: Calculation of transition frequencies Our primary transition matrix Calculations of transition frequencies for the first two behaviors

Making a Kinematic Diagram Adding the Behaviors Making the diagram

Making a Kinematic Diagram: Adding More Transitions

The Completed Diagram

Time Budgets Often involve “behaviors” -- groups of action patterns -- instead of action patterns. Using one of the observational techniques mentioned earlier, measure the amount of time spent on a series of behaviors.

Experimental Data in Ethology Lab vs. field experiments: Control of extraneous variables vs. realism. Natural Experiments: a situation where nature, unknown to the experimenter at the time, has already produced a situation that can be used as an experimental test of some hypothesis. Dangers?

Manipulated Variable Experiments in the Field Beewolves -- parasitoids of bees

Betta ethogram data