CHAPTER 35 REVIEWBehavioral Adaptations to the Environment

Of Mice & Monogamy Behavioral Ecology: the study of behavior

in an evolutionary context Promiscuous: multiple partners and form no

long lasting bonds Polygamous: An individual of one sex mates

with several of the other Monogamous: form a bond with a single

partner; both partners care for the offspring Prairie Vole vs. Meadow Voles; Genetic

factors

35.1 Stimuli: Environmental cues that cause

a response Proximate causes: answers to

questions about the immediate mechanism for a behavior (How a behavior occurs.)

Ultimate causes: evolutionary explanations to behavior (Why a behavior occurs.)

35.2 Innate behavior: under strong genetic

control and perfomed virtually the same way by all members of the species

Fixed Action Pattern: unchangeable series of actions triggered by a specific stimulus Ex. Baby birds and adult birds

35.5 Imprinting: learning that is limited o a

specific time period in an animals life and that is generally irreversible. Ex. Graylag Geese & Konrad Lorenz

35.7 Spatial Learning: establishing

memories of landmarks in the environment that indicate the locations of food, nest sites, prospective mates, and potential hazards. Ex. Tingenberg & Digger wasp

35.8 Cognitive maps: internal

representation or code of the spatial relationships among objects in an animals surroundings.

Migration: the regular back & forth of animals between two geographic areas. Ex. Gray Whales & Indigo Bunting (bird)

35.9 & 35.10 Associative Learning: ability to associate

on environmental feature with another Ex. Cat hears sound of can opening

Trial & error learning: learns to associate one of its own behaviors with a positive or negative effect. Ex. Coyotes & Porcupines

Social Learning: learning by observing the behavior of others Ex. Vervet monkey calls (eagle, snake, leopard)

35.11 Cognition: process carries out by an

animal’s nervous system to percieve ,store, intergrate and use information gathered by the senses

Problem solving: process of applying past experience to overcome obstacles in novel situations Ex. Chimpanzee in room

35.13 Signal: a stimulus transmitted by one

animal to another Communication: The sending of,

reception of, and response to signals Diurnal (day) vs Nocturnal (night) Honeybees

35.17-35.19 Social Behavior: any kind of interaction between

two or more animals usually of the same species Ex. Aggression & Cooperation

Territory: an area, usually in a fixed location, which individuals defend and from which other members of the same species are excluded Ex. Male cheetah

Agnostic behavior: threats, rituals, and combat that determine which competitor gains access to a resource Ex. Rattlesnakes

35.20 Dominance hierarchy: a ranking of

individuals based on social interactions Ex. Chickens

35.22 Altruism: a behavior that reduces and

individual’s fitness while increasing the fitness of others in the population. Honeybees

Kin selection: natural selection favoring altruistic behavior that benefits relatives

Honeybees

35.23 For behavioral traits such as general

intelligence and personality characteristics, genetic differences account for roughly half the variation among individuals. The remainder of the variation can be attributed mostly to each individual’s unique environment. Ex. Twins