Animal Behavior
Ecology Unit
What is Animal Behavior?
The study of how and why animals interact with each other (both within and among species) and their environment.
Proximate questions - howmechanisms responsible for interactions
Ex: rooster crows because light breaksUltimate questions - why
how these interactions influence an
individual's survival and reproduction.Ex: rooster crows to establish territorial rights
Ethology Observation/Analysis of animals as they
interact in their natural environment
Some examples:
Intraspecific interactions
mate choice
Some examples:
Intraspecific interactions
male competition
Some examples:
Intraspecific interactions
alarm calls
Some examples:
Intraspecific interactions
parental care
Some examples:
Interspecific interactions
predation
Some examples:
Interspecific interactions
Symbiotic relationships
Some examples:
Interspecific interactions
compeitition
Some examples:
Interactions with the environment
foraging
Some examples:
Interactions with the environment
nest site selection
Some examples:
Interactions with the environment
signal modification
Why study behavior?Possible first science: Our survival dependent on knowledge of other animals (prey/competitors/predators).
Control/management of species: agricultural pests, invasive species, endangered species.
Understanding/modification of our own behavior? Studies of how birds learn and develop songs provide unique insights into the development and neural control of speech in humans.
What can we learn about human behavior by observing animals?
mate choice
male-male competiton
aggressive behavior
Founders of the field of Animal Behavior
NikoTinbergen
Konrad Lorenz
Karl von Frisch
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1973"for their discoveries concerning organization and elicitation of individual and social behaviour patterns"
Terms to Know Innate: behavior present at birth
FIXED ACTION PATTERN Innate behavioral response Common to all members of species Once initiated, continues until completion
Sign Stimulus: External change in the environment that
triggers a Fixed Action Pattern
NATURE vs. NURTURE Aka: Genetics vs. Environment Aka: Innate behavior vs. Learned Behavior What is Learning?
Behavioral changes that occur due to life experience
special types of learning… Habituation:
Animal learns to ignore an irrelevant stimulus
Imprinting:
irreversible (usually) learning that occurs during CRITICAL PERIOD
Konrad Lorenz (1903-1989) examined genetically programmed behaviors in young and imprinting.
Young geese form an image of “parent” just after hatching. If the hatchlings first encounter a human, they will imprint on him and follow him around as if he were their mother.
more types of learning…ASSOCIATIVE LEARNING CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Stimulus leads to a response that does not normally occur as a result of that stimulus
Ivan Pavlov
“Little Albert” (1920)
OPERANT CONDITIONING Animal learns to associate one behavior with
either REWARD or PUNISHMENT! Reward Repeat Behavior Punishment Avoidance of Behavior
Animal Movement
TAXIS
vs.
KINESIS
Social Behavior Play Agonistic Displays Courtship Batesian Mimicry (“posers”) Mullerian Mimicry Altruistic Displays
Recommended
