Goals• Define behavioral ecology.• Explain & give examples of the following kinds of animal behavior:• Instinct• Fixed action patterns (FAP)• Imprinting• Associative learning & classical conditioning• Trial & error learning (operant conditioning)• Habituation• Observational learning• Insight• Explain the reason for migration and list the 3 ways organisms know where to go.• Social behavior:• Discuss how each of the following competitive social behaviors helps organisms survive & give

examples:• Agonsitic• Dominance hierarchies• Territoriality• Explain the purpose of courtship behaviors & why females are so picky about the mates they

chose.• Describe altruistic behavior & give an example.• Communication:• List 3 modes of communication among organisms & 2 reasons why organisms communicate.

Ch 35 Behavioral Biology

Ch 35 Behavioral Biology• Behavior – what an animal does & how it does it• Behavioral ecology – research approach based on

expectation that animals increase their Darwinian fitness by optimal behavior.

• Darwinian fitness – the relative contribution an individual makes to the gene pool of the next generation.

Innate Behavior• Instinct; determined by genes

– Developmentally fixed – same behavior despite env differences inside & outside their bodies

– Fixed Action Pattern (FAP) – a sequence of behaviors, unchangable & carried to completion

• Triggered by sign stimulus• Ex: moths fold wings in response to ultrasonic signals of bats

• Ex: bird with egg rolling out of nest• How do these work to enhance fitness?

Learning• Experience based modification of behavior

– Most innate behaviors improve w/ experience (flying / developmental…)

– Habituation – simple type of learning – loss of responsiveness to stimuli that convey little or no info

• Ex: hydra stop contracting tentacles when touched repeatedly w/ out any danger

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfu0FAAu-10&feature=related

– Imprinting – learning limited to a critical time • Ex: zebras, geese, language, mate recognition• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGBqQyZid04

Learning• Associative Learning – animals learn to associate 1 stimulus w/ another

– 2 types:• Classical conditioning – irrelevant stim associated w/ a physiological

response (ex: bell/salivate) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP5lCleK-PM• Operant conditioning – trial & error learning / associate behavior w/

a reward or punishment (ex: quills of porcupine…) (skinner)– Play – practices survival behavior, establishes social rules, gives

exercise

Insight• Correct behavior on 1st attempt

– “wow – that’s big! I better stay away even though I don’t know what it is!”

Movement from place to place often depends on internal coding of spatial

relationships• Cognitive maps – mental maps of spatial relationships.

Ex: bees– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7ijI-g4jHg

• 2 types of movement w/ out cognitive maps:– Kinesis – random movement & then change in activity rate in

response to a stimulus if present– Taxis – automatic movement toward or away from a stimulus

(phototaxis – move away from light)

Migration Behavior• Regular movement over long distances – usually in

response to decrease in food supply• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYM6LqDJLiM

– 3 mechanisms used to find way• Piloting• Orientation• navigation

Social Behavior Working together helps the entire species survive• Competitive social behaviors:

– Agonistic – involves threatening & submissive behaviors to determine who gets resources (Ex: wolves putting chin under others)

• Benefits of this? Winner established w/ out fighting or death

– Dominance Hierarches – rank• Ex: chickens – determines who gets resources w/ out hurt• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg1RPCfcGZs&feature=related

– Territory – an area defended usually excluding other members of own species.

• Benefits? Cuts down on competition, keeps population stable, benefits outweigh E costs of defending

Mating Behavior• Relates directly to animals fitness• Courtship – sequence of actions that confirms:

– Same species but opposite sex– In appropriate physiological condition– Not a threat– Moonwalking bird belowhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=072A5xbhO3I&feature=relatedMating dance…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dx2CUMtZ-0&feature=related

• Parental Investment – time & resources an individual must expend to produce offspring– Choose wisely to make it worth it / genetic quality– Females mammals picky b/c they have high investment / males

usually have pronounced 2ndary sex characteristics due to this• Mating systems…

Modes of Communication• Pheromones – chemicals used to communicate• Inclusive fitness – total effect an individual has on

passing its genes by having offspring & helping close relatives to have offspring– Kin selection – the more closely related the more strongly you’ll

defend them• Altruistic behavior – behaviors that reduce individual

fitness but increase others fitness– Ex: alarm calls, sterile bees, stinging worker bees die after

stinging