Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Sem 2: Behavioural ecology > Week 11 > Flashcards

Week 11 Flashcards

1
Q

Why is studying birds important?

A

Radiated into a diverse range of:
* Habitats
* Morphological forms
* Life history strategies

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the practical reasons for studying birds?

A

Visual, audible and obvious!
* Well studied - lots of basic information
* Live at relatively high densities
– Easy logistics
– good sample sizes
* Short generation time (for vertebrates!)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Why are birds easier to study?

A

Easy to:
– Catch
– Mark
– Observe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Why are birds use to study reproductive behaviour?

A

– Find nests
– Encourage into nest boxes
– Observe nest behaviour
– Access and quantify reproductive success

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How are birds easy to manipulate?

A

Easy to manipulate:
* Signal characteristics e.g. Song, plumage
* Mate choice
* Clutch/brood e.g. brood size
Can be repeated in captivity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Why is cross fostering useful?

A

Used to be able to differentiate between inherited and learned behaviours

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How can birds be tracked?

A

Using satelite and geolocators

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Why is remote tracking behaviours useful?

A

Understanding differences between or within population ie males and females do they migrate differently
What signals migration to occur

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What are ibuttons and why are they useful?

A

Tiny sensors that can detect things like temperature and humidity
Can be used to monitor nest incubation or causes for nest failings

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What are PIT tags?

A

Microchips that can be added to bird legs to track an monitor them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is an experiment using PIT tags?

A

Used to identify wildbirds birds for cognitive studies
Faster learning in
* Younger birds
* Birds with ‘bold’ personalities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How can PIT be used to show social behaviour?

A

Feeding dens that only allow females in - males wait around the outside as a form of mate guard
Feeding dens that only allow males in - females dont wait

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Why are molecular markers useful?

A

Identify:
Sex
Individuals
Presence of pathogens

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What questions can be asked about the origin of extra-pair paternity?

A
  1. Which factors influence when extra-pair paternity occurs?
  2. Why do females seek extra-pair paternity?
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is an overview of Bullock’s orioles?

A

Icterus bullockii
Socially monogamous
Nest as solitary pairs or in colonies of pairs (1-13 nests per tree observed)
Colonies do not form due to food or habitat distribution

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the overview of Yellow-billed Magpies nesting?

A

Smaller than other corvids
Sedentary
Nest early (February)

17
Q

What is the overview of the nesting of bullock’s orioles?

A

Migratory
Arrive and nest, April–May
Can defend nest against YB Magpies but not other, bigger, corvids

18
Q

Are orioles choosing to nest near Yellow-billed magpies?

A

Orioles were more associated with magpies than expect by chance
Orioles choosing to nest near to magpies causes semi-coloniality

19
Q

What is the benefit for orioles of nesting near to magpies?

A

Less predation on oriole nests located near magpies
No effect of proximity to other orioles
Orioles prefer to nest near to YB magpies to avoid nest predation!
Causes orioles to be semi colonial (i.e. often nesting at higher density)

20
Q

How did they test for whether Orioles were nesting near YB magpies?

A

Assessed levels of nest predation
1. With or without magpie within 50m
2. With just another oriole within 50m

21
Q

How does density effect extra-pair paternity?

A

EPP decreases with greater nearest oriole neighbour distance (lower density)
High density – 48% of chicks are EP
Low density – 16% of chicks are EP
Density effects levels of infidelity

22
Q

Why does density effect extra-pair paternity?

A

Allows females more extra-pair mate choice

23
Q

What is the relationship between males and extra-pair paternity?

A

Male with no near neighbour very low chance of EPP
Older males low cance of EPP
Yound males upto 100% of eggs EPP

24
Q

What are the benefits of mate choice?

A

Direct benefits
- Paternal care
- Territory quality

Indirect ‘genetic’ benefits
- Increase vigour of offspring
- Increase attractiveness of offspring

25
Q

What questions can be asked about female mate choice?

A

Do genetic benefits to mate choice exist?
Which genes underpin such benefits?

26
Q

What is the Major Histocompatibility complex?

A

Suite of replicated genes central to the vertebrate acquired immune response
Extraordinary levels of genetic variation
Individual differences influence pathogen resistance
More MHC diverse individuals can defend themselves against more pathogens

27
Q

Where was immune system based smells been tested and linked to mate choice?

A

In mice and humans:
* Female mate choice influenced by MHC

28
Q

What is the hotshot model in respect for MHC?

A

Individual survival & condition is (partially) determined by the MHC genes they carry
– Diversity of different alleles
– Specific alleles

Mate choice based on condition dependent cues
– Good genes passed onto offspring
– Male MHC diversity (or type) important

29
Q

What is the romantic model in respect for MHC?

A

Female prefer mates which have compatible MHC genes to their own
– prefer males with most different set of MHC alleles to their own to maximise offspring MHC diversity

Choice based on direct cues, e.g. smell
– MHC dissimilarity important

30
Q

What is an overview of the Seycehlles Warbler system?

A

Long term study
Small contained and isolated population
All individuals marked
Monitor all breeding attempts
Determine social pair bonds
All parents and offspring blood sampled

31
Q

What is the parentage seen in the Seychelles Warbler?

A

Parentage:
* 40% extra-pair paternity (infidelity)
* Assigned all extra-pair males

32
Q

How did they track for the importance of the MHC in the Seychelles Warbler?

A

MHC genotyping
* Screen individual MHC variation
* Two measures of MHC (across 4 replicated loci)
1. MHC similarity between individuals
2. MHC diversity of each individual

33
Q

What was the outcome for MHC-based social mate choice in the Seychelles Warbler?

A

No evidence for MHC based social mate choice

34
Q

What can impact the lack of mate choice in the Seychelles Warbler?

A

Social mate choice restricted – habitat saturated

35
Q

How does MHC variation impact EPP in the Seychelles Warbler?

A

MHC similarity
* EPP - constant across different levels of MHC similarity between female and pair male

MHC diversity
* EPP Higher when the social male’s MHC diversity is low!
And they end up fertilised by higher MHC males

36
Q

What is the fitness consequences of MHC-based EPP in the Seychelles Warbler?

A

Positive association between MHC diversity and juvenile survival
Mean life span of individuals with:
less than 4 alleles = 1 year
more than 4 alleles = 2.5 years

Sem 2: Behavioural ecology (11 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions