Lessons 15-20 Flashcards
(26 cards)
What is sleep?
A period of rest with reduced motor activity and response to stimuli.
Biological Rhythms
Periodic, regular changes in the physical and mental state.
Circadian Behaviours
Circadian behaviour is the physical, mental, and behavioural changes that occur over a 24-hour cycle.
Diurnal
Awake and active during daylight hours.
Nocturnal
Awake and active at night.
Crepuscular
Awake and active during daylight hours.
Torpor vs Hibernation
- Torpor is a short-term state of lowered body temperature and metabolism, while hibernation is a longer-term state of torpor.
- Both states are used by animals to conserve energy during cold weather or when food is scarce.
Hibernation
A prolonged, deeper form of torpor, specifically during winter, involving a significant drop in body temperature and metabolic rate.
- Very low body temperature, slowed heart rate and breathing, and a deep, inactive state.
Torpor
A general term for a state of inactivity and reduced metabolism, often for a short period like a single day or night.
- Reduced body temperature, slowed heart rate, decreased breathing rate, and reduced activity.
Brumation
A dormancy state similar to hibernation, but specifically for reptiles and amphibians.
- Reduced activity and metabolic rate, lowered body temperature
Aestivation
Aestivation is a state of dormancy that animals enter during hot and dry periods to avoid overheating and drying out.
Diurnal Advantages
- Access to abundant daylight for visual hunting
- Social interactions
- Predators and prey benefit from visibility and warmth
Crepuscular Advantages
- Reduced predation risk from both diurnal and nocturnal predators
- Cooler temperatures at dawn and dusk can be advantageous in hot climates
Nocturnal Advantages
- Avoiding daytime heat and predation
- Utilizing specialized sensory adaptations (e.g., night vision, echolocation)
Migration
Oriented, long-distance, seasonal movement of individuals. Need not be orientated to a specific place but to an aim.
Why do animals migrate?
- Food
- Warmth
- Breeding
Environmental factors of migrating
- Lighting
- Seasons
- Climate
- Food availability
What are hormones?
Chemicals that are produced by the endocrine system glands – sent round the body to change characteristics and behaviours.
How do hormones influence behaviour?
- They can influence effectors (muscles)
- They can influence peripheral sensory receptors and modify input into the brain
- They can influence the brain directly
Give some examples of hormones
- Levels of aggression (Testosterone)
- Mating behaviour (Oestrogen causes animals to be in heat)
- Parental behaviour (Progesterone)
- Fear response (Adrenaline and Cortisol)
Pheromones
Chemical substances released into the environment to send a message.
- Used to send an indirect message – social interactions without direct contact.
5 Fs
- Fight
- Flight
- Freeze
- Flirt (not related to courtship, more appeasement)
- Faint
Alarm Pheromones
These are released when an animal is threatened and can alert other members of the species to danger.
Trail Pheromones
These are used by social insects, like ants, to mark a path for others to follow.
