Genes and behaviour (L2, G.D)

Question 1

What is the definition of behavioural variation?

Answer 1

Behavioural variation refers to the differences in behaviour observed within and between species

Question 2

What is behavioural variation influenced by?

Answer 2

genetic, environmental, and developmental factors.

Question 3

What is an Evolutionarily Stable Strategy (ESS)? What is it determined by?

Answer 3

An Evolutionarily Stable Strategy (ESS) is a strategy that cannot be invaded by a rare mutant strategy that yields a higher fitness.

-determined by the costs and resource values an individual obtains based on the rest of the population’s strategies.

Question 4

What does the best strategy for an individual depend on?Give an example

Answer 4

-what the rest of the population is doing
-Costs
-Value they obtain on average
E.g.) choosing whether to attack or run away depending on opponent etc.

Question 5

Define Instinctive behaviour. What does it stem from?

Answer 5

a type of behaviour that is hardwired and exhibited by individuals without prior experience, often stemming from genetic influences.

Question 6

What ultimately underpin each strategy?

Answer 6

gene(s)

Question 7

How do genetic influences affect behaviour?

Answer 7

determine specific traits associated with behaviour, such as aggression or mating strategies, which can vary across individuals and species.

Question 8

Define Phenotypic plasticity

Answer 8

he ability of an organism to alter its phenotype in response to environmental conditions without changing its underlying genotype.

Question 9

What does the term ‘bold-shy personality continuum’ refer to in animal behaviour? What in particular?

Answer 9

describes consistent behavioural differences among individuals, particularly their willingness to take risks.

Question 10

What are Reaction norms?

Answer 10

graphical representations that illustrate how a genotype’s phenotype varies across different environmental conditions.

Question 11

In the context of the Evolutionary Stable Strategy, what factors influence an individual’s best strategy?

Answer 11

An individual’s best strategy depends on the behaviours exhibited by others in the population (frequency dependence) and the relative costs and benefits of different strategies.

Question 12

Define Gene-environment interaction

Answer 12

the phenomenon where genetic expression and behaviour are influenced by environmental factors.

Question 13

What is the significance of serotonin in behaviour?

Answer 13

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood, cognition, and various bodily functions, and its levels can influence different behavioural outcomes across species.

Question 14

Describe the behaviour of “hawks” and “doves” in the context of fighting strategies.

Answer 14

“Hawks” fight hard and retreat only if seriously injured, while “doves” threaten without causing injury and retreat if attacked, reflecting different strategies of aggression in a population.

Question 15

What is assumed about those behaviours?

Answer 15

that they are fixed in an individual; the outcome of the behaviour impacts on fitness–> passing on that behaviour trait to the next generation

Question 16

What usually happens to the number of hawks and doves?

Answer 16

there will be a stabilisation point at which neither gain an advantage (selection does not favour either).

Question 17

Define Animal personality. What does this influence?

Answer 17

consistent behavioural differences among individuals over time and across various contexts, influencing their interactions with the environment.

Question 18

How does environmental information influence behaviour?

Answer 18

by determining availability, reliability, and an organism’s capacity to process it, which shapes adaptive responses to challenges.

Question 19

What is Risk-taking behaviour?

Answer 19

a tendency to engage in actions that expose individuals to danger; it can be a personality trait measured by responses to aversive stimuli.

Question 20

What is the Evolutionary Stable Strategy?

Answer 20

useful theoretical model for understanding phenotypic (behavioural) variation within population and across generations

Question 21

Name some assumptions of ESS

Answer 21

-Assumes costs and fitness values are fixed at every interaction
-Assumes behaviour is underpinned by a single allele
-Does not account for flexible behaviour

Question 22

Name some factors that affect selection

Answer 22

-Environment–> what others are doing, risk, resource availability, information availability
-Organisms state:
–> physiology
–> morphology
–> info processing abilities

Question 23

What does genetic variation imply about adaptive behaviour?

Answer 23

suggests that adaptive behaviour has a heritable component, allowing selection to act upon traits that enhance fitness within a population.

Question 24

What is the hormonal influence on behaviour? Give an example

Answer 24

mating, aggression, and social interactions, which can vary between individuals.
E.g.) sex-dependent relationship between serotonin and boldness in zebrafish

Question 25

What evolve to produce species-specific motor behaviour?

Answer 25

neural circuits

Question 26

Describe Homoplasy in swimming behaviour

Answer 26

in Nudipleura, swimming behaviours have evolved convergently/independently rather than through shared ancestry, demonstrating homoplasy.

Question 27

Define homoplasy

Answer 27

Homoplasy refers to traits or behaviours that evolve independently in different species, often as adaptations to similar challenges.

Question 28

Define Dorsal Swim Interneuron (DSI)

Answer 28

DSI is a neuron found in Nudipleura species, which may have different roles in producing swimming behaviours depending on the species.

Question 29

Homologous neurons across species

Answer 29

such as DSI and IC2, are present across species but may function differently in generating—or not generating—swimming behaviours.

Question 30

Explain what a "breeding lek" is in relation to behavioural variation

Answer 30

a communal display area where males exhibit courtship behaviours to attract females, highlighting behavioural variation and strategies within a species.

Question 31

How does the gut microbiome influence behaviour?

Answer 31

the trillions of organisms living in the digestive tracts influence overall health, behaviour, and cognitive function through various biochemical interactions.

Question 32

What are the implications of gene transfer experiments in voles regarding behaviour? What does this suggest?

Answer 32

shown that increasing the expression of certain genes can alter behavioural patterns, such as pair-bonding in non-monogamous species, demonstrating the genetic basis of behaviour.

Question 33

Define behavioural ecology. What does it focus on?

Answer 33

he study of the evolutionary and ecological basis of animal behaviour, focusing on how behaviour contributes to survival and reproductive success.

Question 34

What is the role of the Nucleus accumbens in social behaviour?

Answer 34

part of the reward system in the brain, where neuronal activity reinforces mate preferences, impacting social and reproductive behaviours.

Question 35

What is the significance of Behavioural variation within species? What is it influenced by?

Answer 35

differences in behaviour observed among individuals of the same species, influenced by genetic, environmental, and developmental factors.

Question 36

How do hybrid animals display behavioural variation?

Answer 36

often exhibit intermediate behavioural traits between their parent species, providing insights into the genetic and evolutionary basis of behaviour.