Behavioral Ecology

Question 1

behavior

Answer 1

any action by an org

• often in response to a stimulus
• can evolve by natural selection

Question 2

behavioral ecology

Answer 2

study how orgs respond to a particular abiotic & biotic stimuli from environment

Question 3

proximate causation

Answer 3

the immediate, mechanistic cause of phenomenon

• aka approximate explanation
• mechanistic
• how actions occur: genetic, neurological, hormonal & skeletal-muscular mechanisms

(ie) animal courtship = neural & hormonal signal

Question 4

ultimate causation

Answer 4

the reason a trait/phenomenon is thought to have evolved

• the adaptive advantage of that trait
• aka ultimate explanation
• evolutionary
• why actions occur: evolutionary consequences & history

(ie) particular behavior = adaptive & increases fitness

Question 5

territories

Answer 5

area that is actively defended by an animal from others of its species
- provides exclusive or semi-exclusive use of its resources by owner

Question 6

fixed action patterns (FAP)

Answer 6

highly stereotyped behavior pattern that occurs in a certain invariant way in certain species
- form of innate behavior

Question 7

innate behavior

Answer 7

behavior inherited genetically that is typical of species

• does not have to be learned
• more fixed & stereotypical

(ie) fixed action patterns
(ie) sneezing & yawning
(ie) imprinting

Question 8

learning

Answer 8

an enduring change in an individual’s behavior

• results from specific experience(s)
• more flexible & conditional

(ie) B.F. Skinner rats learning rewards & punishments for lifting lever
(ie) speech

Question 9

cost-benefit analysis

Answer 9

decisions or analyses that weigh the fitness costs & benefits of a particular action

Question 10

foraging

Answer 10

searching for food

(ie) rovers v. sitters in fruit fly larvae eating behavior

Question 11

optimal foraging

Answer 11

maximizing feeding efficiency
- related to fitness: more time, E & availability for reproduction

(ie) gerbils w/ owl fly-over experiment

Question 12

migration

Answer 12

seasonal movement of large numbers of orgs from one population
- could use: piloting, compass orientation or true navigation

Question 13

piloting

Answer 13

use familiar landmarks to find their way

• type of navigation
• memorize route, later able to pilot route

(ie) migratory birds
(ie) how we explain finding a place to another person

Question 14

compass orientation

Answer 14

oriented w/ specific direction

• type of navigation
• compass = Sun, stars & earth magnetic field (depend on weather & otro)
• use circadian clock + compass

(ie) European robins - migratory birds

Question 15

true navigation

Answer 15

simply know where “home” is

• type of navigation
• (aka) map orientation
• use magnetic field + home

(ie) sea turtles

Question 16

circadian clock

Answer 16

internal mech. found in most orgs

- regulates many body processes (sleep/wake cycles, hormonal patterns)

Question 17

migration costs

Answer 17

(1) lots of traveling

(2) complete migration could take multiple generations - monarch butterfly

Question 18

migration benefits

Answer 18

(1) follow food source - fish move throughout seasons
(2) increase reproductive success - new areas
(3) safer for young - salmon freshwater
(4) more food for adults - salmon ocean