Behavioral EcologyCh. 51

Behavior

• Response of a muscle or gland under control of the nervous system in response to a stimulus

• The study of how animals behave– Particularly in their natural environment

Ethology

How Questions vs. Why Questions

• Proximate causation – how does a behavior occurs?

• Ultimate causation – why has a behavior evolved?

Innate Behavior

• Fixed behaviors in a population

• A simple behavioral process that is triggered by a sign stimulus– Ex: aggressive behavior in ♂ sticklebacks

Fixed Action Patterns

Orientated Movement

• Kinesis– Random movement in response to stimulus– Ex: Paramecium slow down and turn more

often in the presence of bacteria (food)

Orientated Movement

• Taxis– Direct movement toward/away from stimulus– Ex: American Cockroach hides from light

Migration

• Regular long distance change in location– Sun (moves) or North Star (clouds)– Magnetic Field

• Magnetite in brain or Visualize magnetic field

Communication

• Honeybees perform the waggle dance to communicate the location of food sources

Communication

• Pheromones– Ex: alarm or reproductive

Learned Behavior

• Modification of behavior based upon specific experiences

Habituation

• A loss of responsiveness to stimuli that convey little or no new information– Ex: prairie dog alarm call in human presence

Associative Learning

• Ability to associate one environmental feature with another– Ex: Mouse associates color/taste

• The process of recognizing and following the first moving object encountered during a “sensitive period” of life (learned/innate)

Imprinting

Imprinting

• Scientists often wear costumes to prevent human imprinting with endangered species

Cognition & Problem Solving

• The process of knowing by awareness, reasoning, recollection & judgment.– Ex: primates learn how to use tools