Ecology Week 2

Chapter 51: Behavioral Ecology

J LiuSeptember ____, 2008

Ethology

• Study of how animals behave

Movement

• Kinesis • Taxis• Migration

Communication

• Pheromones• Bird Songs

Fixed Action Pattern

• Innate• Sign stimulus

Imprinting

• Sensitive period• Learned and innate

Learning

• Habituation• Spatial Learning—landmarks• Cognitive Maps• Associative Learning

– Classical Conditioning– Operant Conditioning

• Cognition/Problem Solving• Genetic/Environmental Influence

Social Learning

• Mate Choice Copying• Alarm Calls

Foraging Behavior

• Optimal foraging theory– Energy– Predators

Mating Behavior

• Mating Systems– Promiscuous– Long-term: monogamous,

polygamous

• Mate Choice/Competition – Agonistic Behavior

Inclusive Fitness and Altruism• Altruism—helping other

individual at personal expense• Inclusive Fitness (Hamilton’s

Rule/Kin Selection)• Reciprocal Altruism