L1

Question 1

What are proximate questions?

Answer 1

How do they do it?

• Causation (mechanism)
• Development (ontogeny)

Question 2

What are ultimate questions?

Answer 2

Why do they do it?

• Evolution (Phylogeny)
• Function (Selection)

Question 3

Ultimate causes can be explained by?

Answer 3

Fitness

Question 4

The levels of analysis

Answer 4

Refer to whether you’re studying ultimate or proximate causes and which aspects of these.

Question 5

what are the 4 steps in the scientific method?

Answer 5

1. ask a question about an observed behaviour
2. establish a hypothesis to potentially explain what has been seen
3. set up predictions based on the hypothesis
4. test these predictions by gathering appropriate data (field observations, experiments etc)

Question 6

Eusociality

Answer 6

• Few individuals reproduce
• Others gather food, defend colony etc

Question 7

Four subfamilies of Apidae:

Answer 7

Apinae
Bombinae
Meliponinae

• all eusocial

Euglossianiae are not eusocial

Question 8

Apinae and Meliponinae form swarms

Answer 8

• Old queen flies away and takes some worker bees
  
  • Attaches itself to branches etc, whilst scout bees hunt for new area to live
  • Split into two colonies
  • Bumblebees and orchid bees dont form swarms

Nectar transfer

The apinae and meliponinae transfer nectar between individual

Nectar transfer in honey bees

Question 9

When during evolutionary history did these behaviours arise?

Answer 9

• Phylogenies not entirely known
  
  • Probably apidae phylogeny
  • Indicates one origin of eusociality
  • Eusociality may have evolved several times
  • Phylogeny indicates two origins of swarming
  • Two origins of nectar transfer (once in honeybees and once in stingless bees)
  • Paradox that evolution tends to work in the simplest way possible

Question 10

Bumblebees broke off before honeybees split?

Answer 10

• One origin of eusociality
  
  • One origin of swarming
    One origin of nectar transfer