1. Animal Behavior

2. What is behavioral ecology?
Behavioral ecology studies how behavior is controlled and how it develops, evolves, and contributes to survival
Behavior is everything an animal does and how it does it

3. Fixed Action Patterns
An FAP is a sequence of unlearned behavioral acts that is essentially unchangeable and, once started, is usually carried to completion
Triggered by a sign stimulus
Example: Aggressive behavior in male stickleback fish in response to the red underside of an intruder fish

4. Nature vs. Nurture? In biology, it’s not an either/or scenario
Genes and the environment both influence behavior
Innate behavior is behavior that is developmentally fixed, regardless of the environment

5. Directed Movements Directed movements are controlled by genes
Kinesis = a simple change in activity or turning rate in response to a stimulus
Example: pillbugs live best in moist conditions; they move around more in dry areas and less in moist/humid areas
More movement increases likelihood they will encounter a moist area
Taxis = a more or less automatic, oriented movement toward or away from a stimulus
Example: fish swimming against the current
Migration

6. Animal Signals & Communication
A signal is a behavior that causes a change in another animal’s behavior
Communication involves the transmission of, reception of, and response to signals between animals
Chemical Communication:
Pheromones – particularly important in reproduction behavior
Auditory Communication:
Drosophila males produce a characteristic “song” by beating their wings

7. Environment & Genetics
Environmental factors, such as the quality of the diet, the nature of social interactions, and opportunities for learning can influence the development of behaviors in every group of animals
Example: Variations in diet led to rejection of mates in Drosophila

8. Imprinting
Imprinting is a type of behavior that includes both learning and innate components and is irreversible
There is a limited phase in an animal’s development which is the only time when certain behaviors can be learned
Incubator-hatched goslings imprinted on scientist (Konrad Lorenz) during first few hours of life and followed him

9. Associative Learning
Associative learning is the ability of many animals to associate one feature of the environment with another
Classical Conditioning
an arbitrary stimulus is associated with a reward or punishment
Pavlov’s Experiment
Operant Conditioning
“trial-and-error learning”
Mouse eating distasteful caterpillar

10. Cognition & Problem Solving
Cognition is the ability of an animal’s nervous system to perceive, store, process, and use information gathered by sensory receptors
Example: monkeys & bananas on
string

11. Natural Selection & Behaviorism
The genetic components of behavior evolve through natural selection
Natural selection favors behaviors that increase survival and reproductive success
Foraging behavior – Balance between benefits of nutrition and cost of finding food (predation, energy, etc.)
Cost-benefit analysis
Mate selection
Most animals are promiscuous
Monogamous
Polygamous

12. Altruism & Inclusive Fitness
Most social behaviors are selfish
Altruism = when an animal behaves in a way that reduces its individual fitness but increases the fitness of the other individuals in the population
Example: squirrels, worker bees
Helps close relatives (children, siblings, etc.), thereby increasing the individual’s genetic representation in the next generation – “inclusive fitness”