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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