Animal Behavior quiz #3 Flashcards
Animal Behavior quiz #3
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How are innate behaviors different from learned behaviors in animals?
Innate behaviors are genetically programmed and occur automatically, while learned behaviors are acquired or modified through experience and often involve decision-making. Describe an example of a sign stimulus and the fixed action pattern it elicits.
In male stickleback fish, the red belly of another male acts as a sign stimulus, triggering an automatic attack behavior. How does spatial learning benefit animals?
Spatial learning allows animals to create cognitive maps of their environment, helping them navigate and locate resources efficiently. How do pheromones function in animal communication?
Pheromones are chemical signals released into the environment to communicate information, such as mating readiness or danger, especially common in insects. Define foraging behavior and explain its evolutionary significance.
Foraging behavior includes all activities related to finding and consuming food, and it is shaped by natural selection to maximize energy gain while minimizing risks and costs. What is the optimal foraging model?
The optimal foraging model predicts that animals will maximize energy gained from food while minimizing energy expenditure and risk, balancing costs and benefits. How does predation risk influence foraging decisions in animals?
Animals often choose foraging locations that reduce their risk of predation, even if food is available elsewhere, to maximize survival. What are the main types of mating systems in animals?
The main mating systems are monogamy (one male with one female) and polygamy (one individual mates with multiple partners). How does sexual selection influence animal mating behaviors?
Sexual selection leads to mate choice and competition, with individuals displaying traits or behaviors that increase their chances of being chosen or winning mates. What is mate choice copying?
Mate choice copying is when individuals are more likely to choose a mate that has already been chosen by others, as seen in some species like guppies. How does certainty of paternity affect male parental care?
Males are more likely to provide parental care when they are certain of their paternity, which is higher in species with external fertilization. What are the three main types of animal migration, and how do they differ?
The three types are piloting (using landmarks), compass orientation (moving in a specific direction), and true navigation (finding a location using a mental map or cues like Earth's magnetic field). Define altruism in animal behavior.
Altruism is a behavior that reduces the fitness of the actor while increasing the fitness of the recipient. What is kin selection, and how does it explain altruistic behavior?
Kin selection is an evolutionary strategy where individuals help relatives reproduce, increasing the spread of shared genes, thus explaining altruistic acts toward kin. What is Hamilton's rule, and what factors does it consider?
Hamilton's rule states that altruism is favored when the benefit to the recipient, multiplied by the coefficient of relatedness, exceeds the cost to the actor. What is inclusive fitness?
Inclusive fitness is an individual's total evolutionary success, including both its own offspring and the additional offspring produced by relatives due to its help. What is reciprocal altruism, and in what situations does it occur?
Reciprocal altruism is when an individual temporarily reduces its fitness to help another, expecting the favor to be returned in the future, often seen among unrelated individuals. Give an example of altruistic behavior in animals and explain its benefit.
Prairie dogs give alarm calls to warn others of predators, increasing the survival of relatives at the risk of drawing attention to themselves. How do ecological pressures shape animal behavior?
Ecological pressures, such as predation, food availability, and competition, influence the evolution and expression of behaviors that enhance survival and reproduction. Why is it more accurate to view animal behaviors as existing on a spectrum from innate to learned?
Many behaviors have both genetic and learned components, so they are best understood as existing on a continuum rather than as strictly innate or learned.
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