1. An Evolutionary View of Behavior
Starr/Taggart’s
Biology:
The Unity and Diversity of Life, 9e
Chapter 47

2. Ethology vs. Behavioral Ecology:
Ethology: the study of behavior
Visible action
Chemical signals
Learning
Behavioral ecology: the study of behavior and evolution, in other words how does behavior increase fitness

3. One can look at populations and learn many things!
Naked mole rats!
Fig , p. 848

4. Genes and Behavior: Behavior is a combo of nature and nurture!
Behavioral responses depend on:
Neural patterns
Patterns are based on genes
There may be a selective pressure on those genes

5. Hormones and Behavior Recall that hormones are signaling molecules
They can impact behavior
Example of hormonal impact on behavior: “song system” in male birds
Change in photoperiod affects pineal gland
Pineal reduces melatonin secretion
Gonads release testosterone
Testosterone activates singing behavior

6. Sterotyped Behavior (innate)
Characteristics:
Instinctive Behavior will display on first encounter with stimulus based on nervous system pathways
“Sign stimuli” or an external sensory stimulus will trigger a fixed action pattern
It is developmentally fixed = sequence of acts that are unchangeable and are completed when started
Fixed action patterns help in mating, predator evasion, energy conservation, food acquisition, and finding shelter

7. Sterotyped behavior (innate)
Steps: 10:40
Sterotyped behavior (innate)
Fixed action patterns are sequences of acts that are unchangeable and are completed when started
Baby bird crying for food
Moth folding its wings and dropping to ground at a bat’s ultrasonic cry

8. Learned Behavior
In learned behavior animals modifies behavior based on experience
Vervet monkey alarm calls improve over time
The capacity to learn is wired into an animal’s nervous system
Wiring determines what an animal can learn

9. Learned Behavior Examples
Imprinting: exposure to key stimuli during a sensitive period
Maturation: when a behavior onsets due to developmental progression
flight

10. The Adaptive Value of Behavior
Reproductive success refers to the survival and production of offspring (fitness)
Adaptive behaviors promote the propagation of an individual’s genes
Social behavior is based on communication signals and is cooperative
Selfish behavior is when an individual acts to boost its own fitness
Altruistic behavior is associated with decreasing individual’s success but boosting group’s success

11. Altruistic behavior example: Meercats

12. Cost of Living in Social Groups
Competition for food
Competition for mate
Spread of contagious disease and parasites
Risk of being killed or exploited

13. Communication Signals
Communication signals are actions or cues that have a beneficial effect on the signaler and receiver during an exchange of information
Pheromones are powerful!
Composite signals can be chemical, acoustical, and visual

14. Dances of Honeybees
Tactile displays
LifeSci:
52120

15. Dominance Hierarchies
Established by agonistic behavior which is a combo of both threatening and submissive displays that determine access to a resource
Members of a group are ranked according to status
Status can change over time

16. Fig , p. 841

17. Fig , p. 845

18. Territoriality:
Territories are defended areas for feeding, mating, and rearing young
Usually associated with males
Rituals and dominance hierarchies reduce aggression

19. Courtship
Behavior leading to copulation.

20. Fig , p. 840

21. Parenting: Time and energy drain! Genes live on! LifeSci:
48745, 49017, 49176, 49361