Exam 3 Prep

Question 1

Define communication (in humans)

Answer 1

Defined as the process of sending and receiving messages (information) through verbal or nonverbal means

Question 2

Modes of communication in animals

Answer 2

Tactile- licking in wolves/ bee dance
Olfactory- scent marking
Visual- facial expressions, body language
Auditory- whale song

Question 3

What are the two types of bee dance and what do they mean

Answer 3

Waggle dance- The pollen source is LESS than 100 meters from the hive
Figure 8 dance- The pollen source is MORE than 100 meters from the hive

Question 4

Are bee dances tactile or visual

Answer 4

tactile

Question 5

How is scent marking a form of animal communication (in particular dogs)

Answer 5

Use of pheromones
Dogs use Jacobsen’s organ located in nasal cavity and each individual has a unique smell that conveys information like dominant/submissive nature, mating receptivity, health status, etc.
Scent marking conveys information targeted at conspecifics but can also alert interspecifics. Messages include social status and breeding availability

Question 6

True or False: Whale song is only performed by baleen whales

Answer 6

True. These include: Blue, Fin, Humpback, Bowhead, Minke

Question 7

Theories on the purpose of whale song

Answer 7

Attract mates
Coordinate migration
Communicate with their young

Question 8

T or F: only male whales sing

Answer 8

True

Question 9

What is the purpose of a wolf’s howl

Answer 9

Communicates location to other pack members
Ward of rival packs

Question 10

Why do dogs yawn

Answer 10

Sleepy
To show submission
When they feel pressure/stress
One theory is to cool off the brain

Question 11

Define cognition

Answer 11

the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses

Question 12

Define latent learning and give an example

Answer 12

Association of different stimuli or situations without obvious reward. What is learned may not be obvious at the time
Ex: Animal learns environment by exploring then escapes fro predator using this knowledge. Or: Rat explores maze when not hungry then later runs through it faster than one without this previous opportunity.

Question 13

Define insight learning and give an example

Answer 13

Solving a problem too rapidly for normal trial and error learning
Perhaps going through solutions in mind without actually trying them physically
Ex: Problem of getting out of reach food. Chimp thinks about problem and stacks boxes together to get the food.

Question 14

Define observational learning and give an example

Answer 14

Learning takes place by watching another animal learn. Thorndike didn’t believe in this. Ex: Dolphins at Sea Life park were held in separate holding pens but each performed separately in main pool and each learned other animal’s behaviors.

Question 15

Define imprinting and give an example

Answer 15

Special type of learning that only occurs during a sensitive or critical period and is irreversible. Often, the knowledge acquired is not manifested until much later in life: Filial (parental) imprinting and sexual (species recognition) imprinting

Question 16

Define behavioral ecology

Answer 16

How behavior is controlled, how it evolves, develops and contributes to reproductive success and survival, based on observations

Question 17

How to factor in selective pressures when studying the evolution of behavior

Answer 17

Determine whether certain behaviors are favored or penalized by natural selection. Compare species and compare those that are closely related. Have they adopted different strategies?

Question 18

Define convergent evolution

Answer 18

Evolution of the same behavior in unrelated species

Question 19

Example of convergent evolution

Answer 19

Hawks and falcons are examples of raptors that diverged from a common ancestor.
Buteos (soaring hawks) evolved to soar in the air and catch terrestrial prey
Falcons evolved to hunt mostly other birds and to catch them air to air
The majority of raptors hunt independently and share food with their mates
Harris’ hawks and Aplomado falcons share overlapping habitats in a desert environment and as a result are pressured to be generalized in their prey choices- Convergence- both species evolved to be cooperative hunters in familial groups

Question 20

Wingspan of hawks and falcons in order of longest to shortest

Answer 20

Eagle
Buteo
Accipiter
Falcon

Question 21

What are weaver birds

Answer 21

Small finches which live throughout Africa and Asia
Some species are solitary while some live in large flocks
Some build cryptic nests in large defended territories while others cluster their nests into colonies
Some are monogamous while others are polygamous

Question 22

Mating systems of weaver birds

Answer 22

Monogamous- male/female pair
Polygamous:
- Polygynous- one male mates with more than one female
- Polyandrous- one female mates with more than one male
- Polygyndandry- several males mate with several females simultaneously

Question 23

What was John Crook looking for in the weaver bird study in 1964

Answer 23

Correlations between the birds’ (90 species) social organization and their ecology

Question 24

What variables were examined in John Crook’s weaver bird study

Answer 24

Type of food
Distribution and abundance of food
Predators
Nest sites
– sorted into two broad categories: Forest-living and Savanna-living species

Question 25

Tendencies of forest-living species of weaver birds

Answer 25

tended to be insectivorous solitary feeders defend large territories build cryptic, solitary nests monogamous with very little sexual dimorphism Avoids predators by having no bright, attractive colors

Question 26

Tendencies of savanna-living species of weaver birds

Answer 26

tended to eat seeds- more efficient to find patches of seeds by being in a group. Abundant, little competition feed in flocks nest colonially in conspicuous nests polygamous with obvious sexual dimorphism Bright plumage

Question 27

Tendencies of African ungulates (small species)

Answer 27

High metabolic requirement per unit of weight- need to select high quality food Such food tends to occur in forest and be scattered so animals tend to be solitary Avoid predators by hiding Mating system of territorial pair

Question 28

Tendencies of African ungulates (big species)

Answer 28

Eat poor quality food- eat lots of food by grazing unselectively on plains Live in herds- don't defend food Males may defend female herd from other males Flee predators or group defense

Question 29

Crook and Gartlan's study in 1966 divided primates into five categories based on ecoloy and behavior. What defined Grade I, Middle grade, and Grade V?

Answer 29

Grade I- insectivorous, nocturnal, solitary, forest animals Middle Grade- Fruit and leaf-eating species which are diurnal and live in small to large groups Grade V- Vegetarian browsers of open country which live in large groups and show marked sexual dimorphism

Question 30

What did Crook and Gartlan suggest was the two main selective pressures responsible for the link between social organization and habitat in primates

Answer 30

food and predation (but this was not necessarily correct)

Question 31

T or F: Larger animals need to eat more food and so should have larger home ranges

Answer 31

True

Question 32

Diff between chimp and bonobo

Answer 32

Chimp: Found across equatorial Africa, males use aggression to compete for dominance rank and obtain sex, males cooperate to defend their home range and attack other groups Bonobo- live South of Congo River, males subordinate to females, do not compete intensely for dominance rank, and do not form alliances. No evidence of lethal aggression between groups, playful throughout life, show intense sexual behavior that serve non-conceptive functions and often involves same-sex partners.

Question 33

What is the Optimality theory

Answer 33

Assumes natural selection will favor the evolution of optimal behavior (the best behavior for a given situation) Optimal Foraging Theory- Animal should either maximize its energy intake or minimize its costs

Question 34

Define solitary

Answer 34

Live alone most of the time Come together only for mating

Question 35

Define gregarious

Answer 35

Large groups Individual is never alone

Question 36

Advantages to living in a group

Answer 36

Protection, benefits of cooperative hunting, defense of resources, communal rearing of young, more eyes to watch for predators/make alarm calls, dilution effect, division of labor

Question 37

Disadvantages to living in a group

Answer 37

sharing resources, direct competition between conspecifics, very visible, spreading of disease

Question 38

Rank this hierachy from most to least dominant: Alpha, Beta, Omega

Answer 38

Alpha- most dominant Beta- second most dominant Omega- Lowest ranking

Question 39

Define Autocratic hierarchy

Answer 39

One individual is clearly dominant over all the others No hierarchy amongst others in the group

Question 40

Supersedence

Answer 40

Momentary dominance situation Occurs in large groups

Question 41

Are Harris hawk's female or male dominant

Answer 41

female dominant