Ch 39: Ecology Flashcards
(44 cards)
Behavior
2 things -
what an animal does and how it does it, results from genetic environmental factors.
- Essential for survival and reproduction.
- Natural selection can change it over time.
Two fundamental levels of behavior
Proximate then Ultimate
Proximate
“How” questions, Effects of heredity on behavior, genetic-environmental interactions, and sensory-motor mechanisms.
Ultimate
“Why” questions, Studies of the origin of the behavior, its change over time, and the utility of the behavior in terms of reproductive success.
Innate Behaviors
Are Developmentally fixed. They are unlearned
Fixed Action Pattern (FAP)
a sequence of unlearned acts that is largely unchangeable and usually carried to completion once it is initiated, Trigged by sign stimuli
Kinesis
a simple change in activity in response to a stimulus, whereas a taxi is an automatic movement toward or away from a stimulus.
Migration
is a complex behavior seen in a wide variety of animals?
Circadian rhythms
occur on a daily cycle (24 periods), make sure you do the correct thing at the correct times
Signal
Behavior that causes a change in the behavior of another individual and is the basis for animal communication
Pheromones
chemical signals emitted by members of one species that affect other members of the species
Visual Signals
warning flash of white of mockingbird’s wings
Auditory Signals
a screech of a blue jay or song or a warbler
Learning
modification of behavior based on specific experiences establishes links between experience and behavior
Imprinting
a combination of learned and innate components that are limited to a sensitive period, generally irreversible.,
Associative Learning
associate one feature of their
an environment with another feature
Classical conditioning
learning to associate certain stimuli with reward or punishment
Operant Conditioning
an animal learns to associate one of its behaviors with a reward or punishment.
Other Influences on Behavior, 2
Twin studies in humans indicate that both environment and genetics contribute significantly to behaviors
Behavior can be directed by genes. For example, a single gene appears to control courtship in fruit flies.
Cognition
is a process of knowing that may include awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgment
Problem-solving
is the process of devising a strategy to overcome an obstacle
3 things about behavior
Selection for individual survival and reproductive success can explain most behaviors
Behavior enhances survival and reproductive success in a population
These behaviors are passed along.
Foraging
Foraging or food-obtaining behavior includes not only eating, but also mechanisms used in searching for, recognizing, and capturing food
The optimal foraging model
proposes that it is a compromise between the benefits of nutrition and the cost of obtaining food
