18- Social Behaviour and Communication

Question 1

What is social organisation

Answer 1

How animals interact with and space themselves in relation to other individuals of same species

Question 2

Tinbergen’s 4 questions for a trait

Answer 2

• Mechanistic, mechanism by which trait achieved
• Ontogenetic, factors influencing development of trait
• Functional, fitness consequences of trait
• Evolutionary, evolutionary history of trait

Question 3

Direct benefits of group living

Answer 3

• Lower probability of being killed by predators
• Groups better at finding & capturing food
• Improved competitive ability in groups
• Improved success at rearing own young

Question 4

Costs of group living

Answer 4

• Increased chances of being detected by predators
• Higher risk of parasitism
• Resources have to be shared with other group members
• Increased risk of reproductive suppression

Question 5

What is altruism

Answer 5

Behaviour which increases the fitness of the recipient at some cost to the donor

Question 6

What is inclusive fitness

Answer 6

The total fitness that an individual gains, by breeding itself and by helping close relatives to breed

Question 7

What is kin selection

Answer 7

The process by which characteristics are favoured due to their beneficial effects on the survivalof close relatives (including offspring and non-descendant kin)

Question 8

B/C > 1/r

Answer 8

• B = Benefit to the recipient
• C = Cost to the donor
• r = coefficient of relatedness (probability that gene in one individual is an identical copy, by descent, of a gene in another individual)

Question 9

Which type of altruism seems rare in animals

Answer 9

Reciprocal altruism with unrelated individuals

Question 10

What is at the basis of social behaviour

Answer 10

• Communication

- Animals exchange specially adapted signals (e.g. vocal, visual, olfactory) to mediate their relationships with others

Question 11

Communication is which of Tinbergen’s 4 questions for a trait

Answer 11

Mechanistic, mechanism that allows social (and sexual) behaviour to occur

Question 12

A key function of communication is to transmit information on

Answer 12

The identity of the signaller to a range of different receivers

Question 13

Social recognition important for

Answer 13

• Staying in contact with companions (including offspring)

- Advertising ownership of resources to rivals

Question 14

How to assess rival groups

Answer 14

Probability of approach closely predicted by ratio of number defenders to number of intruders

Question 15

If group size increases

Answer 15

• Cognitive demands increase

- Selection for larger brains

Question 16

Sexual selection is affected by

Answer 16

The relative importance of particular physical or behavioural traits in determining breeding success in the two sexes