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Animal Behaviour
Citation preview
Mark Elgar
Animal Behaviour
Nurture via Nature
Outline
The role of genes and environment in shaping the behaviour of animals
How do we apply evolutionary thinking to explaining why animals behave as they do?
Nests
NestsGolden-headed cisticola:Uses spider silk to weaves leaves together for nesting
Green tree ants:Use silk from larvae to knit leaves together for nesting
How do these animals know how to do this???
Genes & learning
Innate: a behaviour that is performed the first time an animal encounters the appropriate cue for that behaviour
Learned: a behaviour that is modified as a result of the animals experience of its environment
i) Genes
ii) Learning
Innate behaviour of cuckoos
Cuckoos are brood parasites that lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species
Innate behaviour of cuckoos
Cuckoo chicks respond to pressure stimulus on their back
Horsefields Bronze Cuckoo chick
Learned behaviour
Cattle learned to associate the sound of the motorcycle horn with receiving molasses
Digger wasps use landmarks
Female digger wasps lay their eggs in a hole dug in the ground
Provision eggs with insect larvae
Need to be able to relocate hole
The nature vs nurture debate
Nature: behavior is innate and under genetic influences only
Nurture: behavior is learnt, and not influenced by genes
Behaviour is often the result of both genetic and environmental
influences
The nature vs nurture debate
White-crowned sparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
Listen to an audio recording of the White-crowned sparrow from The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Macaulay Libraryhttp://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/16679
Early juvenile sub-song becomes more complex over time
Question: How much of the song is genetic and how much is learned?
The nature vs nurture debate
White-crowned sparrowZonotrichia leucophrys
Experimental treatments:
i) Raised with parents
ii) Raise in isolation, prevented from hearing anything
iii) Raised in isolation, allowed to hear own singing
iv) Raised in isolation, allowed to hear singing of adults on tape recorder
Adult song is in part due to genetics but juveniles must learn full song
repertoire from parents
Summary
Behaviour is the result of both genetic and environmental influences.
Both genetic and learned behaviours can be explained in an evolutionary context
Slide 1 _MG_2581 peacock spider Maratus volans by Jurgen Otto (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59431731@N05/5521738809/). Reproduced with permission from Jurgen Otto.
Slide 3a) White-browed Sparrow-weaver Nests (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:White-browed_Sparrow-weaver_Nests.jpg by Birdman 1 [Own Work] (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commonsb) Bird nest Fogg Dam (http://www.flickr.com/photos/26768348@N00/10829823) By Stephen Michael Barnett (CC-BY-2.0)c) Bird nest in grass (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bird_nest_in_grass.jpg) by Fir0002 (CC BY-SA 3.0), via Wikimedia Commonsd) Taveta Golden-weaver nest (http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ATaveta_Golden-weaver_nest.JPG) By Robert Lawton (Own work) (CC-BY-SA-2.5), via Wikimedia Commonse) Allen's Hummingbird Nest (http://www.flickr.com/photos/pazzani/8563916462/) By Mike's Birds (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Slide 4a) Golden-Headed Cis1cola (h4p://www.ickr.com/photos/bareego/8168449319/) By James Niland (CC BY 2.0)b) Weaver ants (Oecophylla smaragdina) nest in Kinnarsani WS (h4p://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWeaver_ants_%28Oecophylla_smaragdina%29_nest_in_Kinnarsani_WS%2C_AP_W_IMG_6012.jpg) by J.M.Garg (CC-BY-SA-3.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Slide 5Eect of drugs on spider web construc1on (h4ps://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3ACaeinatedSpider.jpg) By NASA.Materialscien1st at en.wikipedia [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons
Slide 6a) This nestling Horselds bronze-cuckoo (Chalcites basalis) has a slightly hollow back that makes it easier to push eggs or chicks out of the nest of its host, the purple-crowned fairy-wren (Malurus coronatus) By Michelle Hall. Reproduced with permission from Michelle Hall.
b) This series of 4 images illustrates the ins1nc1ve reex of a young cuckoo nestling to push backwards against anything touching its back, that results in other eggs and chicks being pushed out of the nest. The zygodactylous feet (2 forward- and 2 rearward-poin1ng toes) that characterise cuckoos are also visible. By Michelle Hall. Reproduced with permission from Michelle Hall.
Slide 7 & 8a) Ca4le (h4p://www.public-domain-image.com/full-image/fauna-animals-public-domain-images-pictures/cows-and-calves-public-domain-images-pictures/ca4le.jpg-free-stock-photo.html) by Keith Weller (US Dept. Of Agriculture) [Public Domain]
b) Molasses (h4p://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AMolasses.JPG) By Tractorboy60 [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsSlide 9a) Digger wasp (Ammophila sabulosa nipponica) (h4p://opencage.info/pics.e/large_795.asp by OpenCage.Info (CC BY-SA 2.5)b) Pine Cone Illustra1on Brown (h4p://www.ickr.com/photos/coeeteagastronomy/6428589747/) By Melanie Widmann, CTG Publishing (CC BY 2.0)c) Cartoon Bug Flying Wasp Forest Insect S1ng (h4p://pixabay.com/en/cartoon-bug-ying-wasp-forest-32311/ ) By Nemo [Public Domain] via pixabay
Slide 11 & 12a) White-crowned Sparrow (h4p://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWhite-crowned_Sparrow_57.jpg) by Tim [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
PAUSE LECTURE LINK OUT TO: h4p://macaulaylibrary.org/audio/16679/zonotrichia-leucophrys-white-crowned-sparrow-united-states-alaska-leonard-peyton)