Biology 105 Animal Behavior Pgs 1127 1151 Student

Biology 105 Animal Behavior Pgs 1127 -1151

Student Outcomes /Describe the interactions of heredity, environment, and maturation in animal behavior. /Distinguish between proximate and ultimate causes of behavior, and apply the concepts of ultimate cause and costbenefit analysis to decide whether a particular behavior is adaptive.

Student Outcomes /Discuss the significance of habituation, imprinting, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and cognition /Describe common modes of animal communication, including signaling by pheromones.

Animal Behavior -What an animal does and how it does it – in response to stimuli in its environment. Known as Behavioral Ecology (Ethology) Behavior responses have costs. Ecologists use cost-benefit analysis to understand animal behaviors

Nature vs Nurture /Innate Behavior – inborn (instinct) /Learned Behavior – modified with environmental experience

Behavior patterns as a results of Motor Programs /Graylag next /Male goose retrieves an egg from the stickleback with red color on ventral surface

Innate – Learned Behavior /8 steps /Instinct /Fixed action pattern /Imprinting /Associate Learning /Trial and Error /Habituation /Observational learning /Insight

Habituation /Learned behavior of ignoring repeated stimuli that neither reward or punish.

Imprinting /Occurs within the first few hours of birth or hatching. Shape, Sound and Scent are very important for imprinting. /If kept apart for a few hours after birth, mothers may reject the newborn.

Classical Conditioning /An association between a new stimulus and a body function. /Pavlov’s dog /Unconditioned stimulus (food) /Conditioned stimulus (bell) /Unconditioned response (salivating to food) /Conditioned response (salivating to bell) /Extinction stimulus – forgetting the conditioned

Operant Conditioning /Animal will gain a reward for doing something OR avoid punishment. /Classic example– Mouse with lever

Cognition /Gaining knowledge and carrying out higher level mental functions. /Insight learning – linking past experiences to solve new problems /Debate among behavioral ecologists is how much Cognition and selfawareness most animals have?

Social behavior /Interaction of 2 or more animals usually of the same species (society). /Benefits: safety, hunting, defense, division of labor /Costs: more food and resources needed. Battle for territory and mating rights. /Communication is necessary

Communication /Important /Holding in a group together /Warn of danger /Signal social status /Indicate willingness to accept care /Identify members of the same species /Indicate sexual maturity (mating) /Finding food or other resources

Communication /Visual – fast and share much info /Auditory – better for night time and over long distances /Scent – urination to mark objects (Pheromones), or to attract members of opposite sex.

Sexual Selection /Two Types /Intrasexual selection – individuals of same sex compete for mates. Ex: male kangaroos ‘boxing’ /Intersexual selection-females select mate based on physical traits or winning suitors.

Sexual selection Polygyny – males fertilize the eggs of many females. /Polyandry – one female mates with several males. /Monogamy – one male mates with one female – rare outside of the human species.