1. Chapter 51 Animal Behavior
Lecture Presentations by Nicole Tunbridge and Kathleen Fitzpatrick
© 2017 Pearson Education, Inc. 1

2. Concept 51.1: Discrete sensory inputs can stimulate both simple and complex behaviors
Behavioral ecology is the study of the ecological and evolutionary basis for animal behavior
A fixed action pattern is a sequence of unlearned acts directly linked to a simple stimulus
Fixed action patterns are unchangeable and, once initiated, usually carried to completion
A fixed action pattern is triggered by an external cue known as a sign stimulus

3. Fixed Action Patterns an example
In male stickleback fish, the stimulus for attack behavior is the red underside of an intruder
Males will not attack fish lacking red coloration, but they will attack even unrealistic models that have areas of red color
Goose eggs

4. Migration Migration is a regular, long-distance change in location
Animals can orient themselves using their position relative to
The sun, using their circadian clock to adjust for changes in its position
The North Star
Earth’s magnetic field

5. Behavioral Rhythms
Some animal behavior is affected by the animal’s circadian rhythm, a daily cycle of rest and activity
Behaviors such as migration and reproduction are linked to changing seasons, or a circannual rhythm
Periods of daylight and darkness are common seasonal cues
Some behaviors are linked to lunar cycles, which affect tidal movements

6. Animal Signals and Communication
In behavioral ecology, a signal is a stimulus transmitted from one organism to another
Communication is the transmission and reception of signals between animals
Animals communicate using visual, chemical, tactile, and auditory signals

7. Forms of Animal Communication: Bees
The angle of the straight run of the dance relative to the vertical surface of the hive indicates the direction of the food source
Distance to the food source is indicated by the length of the straight run and the number of abdominal waggles
If food is less than 50 m away, the bee simply moves in tight circles while moving its abdomen side to side
Bee dance

8. Honeybee Dance Language
Figure 51.5 Honeybee dance language

9. Pheromones
Animals that communicate through odors or tastes emit chemical substances called pheromones
For example, when a minnow or catfish is injured, an alarm substance in the fish’s skin disperses in the water, inducing a fright response among fish in the area
Pheromones can be effective at very low concentrations

10. Minnows Responding to the Presence of an Alarm Substance
Figure 51.6 Minnows responding to the presence of an alarm substance

11. Concept 51.2: Learning establishes specific links between experience and behavior
Innate behavior is developmentally fixed and does not vary among individuals
Learning is the modification of behavior based on specific experiences
Research into learning seeks to understand the contributions of both nature and nurture in shaping learning and behavior

12. Imprinting
Imprinting is the establishment of a long-lasting behavioral response to a particular individual or object
Imprinting can only take place during a specific time in development called the sensitive period
For example, in gulls, the sensitive period lasts one to two days
Offspring and parents must bond with each other during this time or the parent will reject the offspring

13. Imprinting: Continued
Many species of waterfowl have no innate recognition of “mother”; they identify with the first object they encounter:
For example, the imprint stimulus in young greylag geese is any nearby object that is moving away from them
If their first exposure is to a human, they will imprint on the human and not recognize their biological mother

14. Imprinting
Conservation biologists have taken advantage of imprinting in programs to save endangered species
For example, young whooping cranes imprint on humans in “crane suits” who then lead migrations using ultralight aircraft
Crane video

15. Spatial Learning and Cognitive Maps
Spatial learning is the establishment of a memory that reflects the environment’s spatial structure
Niko Tinbergen showed how digger wasps use landmarks to find nest entrances
Result
Experiment

16. Spatial Learning and Cognitive Maps, Continued
A cognitive map is an internal representation of spatial relationships between objects in an animal’s surroundings
For example, Clark’s nutcrackers can find food hidden in caches located halfway between particular landmarks

17. Associative Learning
In associative learning, animals associate one feature of their environment with another
For example, a blue jay will avoid eating monarchs and similar-looking butterflies after an experience with a distasteful monarch butterfly
Classical conditioning is a type of associative learning in which an arbitrary stimulus is associated with a reward or punishment
For example, a dog that repeatedly hears a bell before being fed will salivate in response to the sound of a bell in anticipation of a meal

18. Associative Learning, Continued
Operant conditioning is a type of associative learning in which an animal learns to associate one of its behaviors with a reward or punishment
It is also called trial-and-error learning
For example, a rat that is fed after pushing a lever will learn to push the lever in order to receive food

19. Cognition and Problem Solving
Cognition is a process of knowing that involves awareness, reasoning, recollection, and judgment
It was once thought that only primates and certain marine mammals exhibit cognition, but other groups including insects use abstract thinking
For example, honeybees can distinguish “same” from “different” and distinguish between human faces

20. Cognition and Problem Solving, Continued
Problem solving is a cognitive activity of devising a strategy to overcome an obstacle
Problem solving is highly developed in some mammals
For example, chimpanzees can stack boxes in order to reach suspended food
Some bird species, particularly corvids, demonstrate complex problem solving
For example, ravens can obtain food suspended by a string by pulling up the string

21. Social Learning
Social learning is learning through the observation of others
For example, young chimpanzees learn to crack palm nuts with stones by copying experienced chimpanzees
For example, young vervet monkeys learn from older monkeys to give and respond to distinct alarm calls for different predators

22. Social Learning, Continued
Culture is a system of information transfer through observation or teaching that influences behavior of individuals in a population
Culture can alter behavior and influence the fitness of individuals

23. Concept 51.3: Selection for individual survival and reproductive success can explain diverse behaviors
Behavior enhances survival and reproductive success in a population
Natural selection refines behaviors that enhance the efficiency of feeding
Foraging, or food-obtaining behavior, includes recognizing, searching for, capturing, and eating food items

24. Optimal Foraging Model
The optimal foraging model views foraging behavior as a compromise between benefits of nutrition and costs of obtaining food
The costs of obtaining food include energy expenditure and the risk of being eaten while foraging
Natural selection should favor foraging behavior that minimizes the costs and maximizes the benefits
Crow video

25. Balancing Risk and Reward
Risk of predation affects foraging behavior
For example, despite uniform availability of food across habitat types, mule deer feed predominantly in open areas
Mountain lions kill more mule deer at forest edges than in open areas

26. Altruism
Natural selection favors behavior that maximizes an individual’s survival and reproduction
These behaviors are often selfish
On occasion, some animals behave in ways that reduce their individual fitness but increase the fitness of others
This kind of behavior is called altruism
Meer cats

27. Altruism: Continued
For example, under threat from a predator, an individual Belding’s ground squirrel will make an alarm call to warn others, even though calling increases the chances that the caller is killed
For example, in naked mole rat populations, nonreproductive individuals may sacrifice their lives protecting their reproductive queen and kings from predators