2/3/2017
2
Behavioral EcologyBehavior lets organisms respond rapidly and
adaptively to their environment. Usually in a beneficial
way.
Examples?
Plant bends
toward light
Pufferfish inflates
when threatened
Cat comes
when you
use a can
opener
Toad releases
poison when
grabbed
• Specialized cells that are sensitive to stimuli detect sensory
information.
– information is transferred to the nervous system
– nervous system may activate other systems in response
• Animal behaviors
help to maintain
homeostasis.
Behavioral Ecology
2/3/2017
4
Genetic and Environmental Components of
Behavior •
•
•
•
Proximate vs. Ultimate Causes
•
–
–
2/3/2017
19
C. Conditioning - laboratory setting
1. classical conditioning
animals make associations - Pavlov's dog associates bell
with food, begins to salivate, can be extinguished and later
followed by recovery (unconditioned stimulus - meat,
unconditioned response - salivation, conditioned stimulus -
bell, conditioned response - salivation)
a. animal learns to perform an "old" response to a new
stimulus
b. Pavlov's dog
- place dried meat powder in dog mouth - salivation
- associate with bell - salivation to bell
c. Stimulus first, behavior second
(but of course there is an expectation of reward second)
2/3/2017
20
• Operant conditioning.
–This is called trial-and-error learning - an
animal learns to associate one of its own
behaviors with a reward or a punishment.
2/3/2017
26
Some behaviors benefit other group members at a cost to
the individual performing them.
•
–
– reciprocity
– altruism
• Sometimes
cooperation
occurs.
Competitive social behaviors often
represent contests for resources
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Fig. 51.18
2/3/2017
27
• In altruism, an individual reduces
its own fitness to help other
members of its social group.
– inclusive fitness: total # of
genes contributed by relatives
to next generation
– kin selection: natural selection
acts on survival of close
relatives
Altruism
2/3/2017
28
Copyright © 2002 Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Benjamin Cummings
Fig. 51.29
Eusocial behavior is an example of extreme altruism.
•
–
Queen Minor worker Major worker
– diploid species: termites, snapping shrimp, naked mole
rats• Eusocial behaviors likely evolve by kin selection.
2/3/2017
33
Social Systems•
•
References:
• Krohne, David T. 2012. General Ecology, 2nd Edition.
Cengage Learning Asia Pte Ltd: Singapore.
• Fernandez, Elsha Vienna M. 2011. Biological Science: A
Reviewer for the Licensure Examination for Teachers.
PNU University Press : Taft Avenue, Manila.
• Melchor, Marciano B., et al. 2008. Laboratory Manual in
Biology. Rex Book Store: Manila, Philippines.
• Ricklefs, R.E. 2001. The Economy of Nature, 5th
Edition. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.