1. Ch 35 Behavioral Biology 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.

2. 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.

3. 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?

4. 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
Imprinting – learning limited to a critical time
Ex: zebras, geese, language, mate recognition

5. 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)
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

6. Insight Correct behavior on 1st attempt
“wow – that’s big! I better stay away even though I don’t know what it is!”

7. Movement from place to place often depends on internal coding of spatial relationships
Cognitive maps – mental maps of spatial relationships. Ex: bees
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)

8. Migration Behavior
Regular movement over long distances – usually in response to decrease in food supply
3 mechanisms used to find way
Piloting
Orientation
navigation

9. 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
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

10. 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 below
Mating dance…
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…

11. 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