Biology 3401 - Animal Behaviour

Introduction

Levels of Analysis in Ethology

Proximate Causes Ultimate Causes

Genetic/DevelopmentalMechanisms

Sensory/MotorMechanisms

HistoricalPathways

Selective Processes

-effects of heredity-development of sensory- motor systems -gene-environment interactions

-nervous systems for stimulus detection-hormone systems for adjusting response levels-muscles for carrying out responses

-adaptive context ?-evolutionary development of a trait

How? Why?

Scientific Method

Make Observation

Formulate hypothesis to explain observation

Test HypothesisPass Fail

Hypothesis Theory

Test Theory

Theory Law

Pass Fail

Fail

Pass Many

Pass Many

The Scientific MethodTinbergen's Observations on the Bee Wolf - Philanthus triangulum

6. Confirm hypothesis

1.Observation - Female flies in a circle before going to hunt.

2. Hypothesis - Female is using landmarks to find the nest.

3. Prediction - Female will return to a landmark to find the nest.

4. Test - Place an artificial landmark around the nest and move it when the female is away

5. Result - Female orients to new landmark.

First Representations of Animal Behaviour

Greek Philosophers

Aristotle(384-322 BCE)

Perfect ‘Type’

e.g.

Ethology Psychology

- origins in natural history - origins in physiology & medicine

-early focus-understanding adaptive value of behaviour in the wild

-early focus-understanding causation and motivation of human behaviour using animal models

- field-based - laboratory-based

COMPARISON OF ETHOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY

- initially more observational - initially more empirical

Historical Figures

1. Charles Darwin

1835

1840

1845

1850

1855

1860

1865

1870

1875

1880

1885

The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle

Journal of researches (or voyage of the Beagle)

A monograph of the sub-class Cirripedia,

On the Origin of Species

Fossil Cirripedia

The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects.

The movements and habits of climbing plants.The variation of animals and

plants under domestication. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. The expression of the emotions

in man and animals.Insectivorous plants.

The effects of cross and self fertilisation in the vegetable kingdom. The different forms of flowers on

plants of the same species.The power of movement in plants.

The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms.

Questions about the breeding of animals

The structure and distribution of coral reefs.Geological observations on South America.Geological observations on the volcanic islands

visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle.

Darwin - Published Books

1835

1840

1845

1850

1855

1860

1865

1870

1875

1880

1885

The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle

Journal of researches (or voyage of the Beagle)

A monograph of the sub-class Cirripedia,

On the Origin of Species

Fossil Cirripedia

The various contrivances by which orchids are fertilised by insects.

The movements and habits of climbing plants.The variation of animals and

plants under domestication. The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. The expression of the emotions

in man and animals.Insectivorous plants.

The effects of cross and self fertilisation in the vegetable kingdom. The different forms of flowers on

plants of the same species.The power of movement in plants.

The formation of vegetable mould, through the action of worms.

Questions about the breeding of animals

The structure and distribution of coral reefs.Geological observations on South America.Geological observations on the volcanic islands

visited during the voyage of H.M.S. Beagle.

Darwin - Published Books

Historical Figures

1. Charles Darwin

Historical Figures

2. Lloyd Morgan

Historical Figures

3. Julian Huxley - Courtship habits of the great crested grebe

Historical Figures

4. J.B. Watson 5. B.F.Skinner

Historical Figures

6. Karl von Frisch

Historical Figures

7. Konrad Lorenz

Historical Figures

8. Niko Tinbergen

Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology -1973

Konrad Lorenz1903 - 1989

Niko Tinbergen1907 - 1988

Karl von Frisch1886 - 1982

Ethology

Ecology

Population Biology

Genetics

Endocrinology

PhysiologyNeurophysiology

Sociobiology

EvolutionaryBiology