Animal Behaviour Concepts and Approaches
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Questions and Answers

What is the active internal temperature for turtles in Nova Scotia?

  • 25 degrees Celsius
  • 22 degrees Celsius
  • 15 degrees Celsius
  • 20 degrees Celsius (correct)

    • What is a key feature of Blanding’s Turtle?

  • Black shell with white stripes
  • Brown shell with no markings
  • Yellow chin and throat with a distinctive 'smile' (correct)
  • Green shell with red spots

    • How many eggs may Blanding's Turtle lay in a clutch?

  • 1-5 eggs
  • 10-15 eggs
  • 5-20 eggs (correct)
  • 20-25 eggs

    • Which of the following turtles is classified as endangered in Nova Scotia?

    <p>Blanding's Turtle</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What behavior is characteristic of Wood Turtles?

    <p>They are primarily terrestrial but hibernate in water</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the maximum lifespan reported for a Blanding's Turtle?

    <p>83 years</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the smallest species of sea turtle mentioned?

    <p>Kemp’s Ridley Turtle</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Genotypic Sex Determination (GSD) involve?

    <p>Determination fixed at fertilization by genetic chromosomes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    At what age do fry likely reach maturity?

    <p>1 year</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which behavior is characteristic of the Red-Backed Salamander?

    <p>Immobility when threatened</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What critical habitat is important for the survival of certain aquatic species?

    <p>Eelgrass habitats</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following species is a key species in Nova Scotia?

    <p>Yellow-Spotted Salamander</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What adaptation helps aquatic species detect predators and prey?

    <p>Separate rolling eyes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary method of development for the genus Plethodon?

    <p>Direct development</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How do mothers of the Plethodon species help protect their eggs?

    <p>By protecting them from cannibalistic salamanders</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What negative impact can fishing pressures have on populations of slow-growing species?

    <p>Rapid decrease in numbers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What physiological changes occur in spring that influence the coloration in arctic foxes?

    <p>Elevated MSH and gonadotropins leading to darker coloration</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of melatonin in seasonal color changes in mammals?

    <p>It influences color changes based on light exposure.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which hormones are classified as gonadotropins in the context of sex differentiation?

    <p>Estrogens and androgens</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an example of a homozygous allele combination?

    <p>AA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which mechanism is primarily focused on adaptation at the species level?

    <p>Natural selection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes cultural transmission?

    <p>Social learning that persists across generations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What evidence supports the theory of evolution through embryology?

    <p>Similarities among embryonic development stages.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement differentiates social learning from cultural transmission?

    <p>Social learning occurs within one generation, while cultural transmission spans multiple generations.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What mating system is predominantly observed among waterfowl species?

    <p>Monogamy</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one characteristic of perennial monogamy in waterfowl?

    <p>High mate fidelity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a subtype of cooperative breeding in birds?

    <p>Gang-brooding</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the typical annual divorce rate for barnacle geese?

    <p>2%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of parental care is exhibited by Canada geese?

    <p>Gang brooding</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a notable behavioral exception in the mating systems of waterfowl?

    <p>Polygyny in comb ducks</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In terms of population regulation, what concept proposes natural selection acting at the level of groups?

    <p>Wynne-Edwards' Group Selection</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one reason waterfowl maintain monogamous relationships despite low paternal care?

    <p>Males are critical during post-mating stages</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary reason females generally invest more in progeny than males?

    <p>Females undergo gestation and lactation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which mating system is there a greater likelihood of traits evolving as 'handicaps'?

    <p>Polygyny</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which mode of reproduction involves organisms producing both egg and sperm?

    <p>Hermaphroditic</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of parental care includes both mothers and fathers involved in raising offspring?

    <p>Biparental care</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a description of ovoviviparity in reproductive development?

    <p>Eggs hatch inside the parent, resulting in live young.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which reproductive system is characterized by individuals producing offspring without fertilization?

    <p>Parthenogenesis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a measure of reproductive success?

    <p>Total energy expenditure during mating</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a challenge related to honest indicators in sexual selection?

    <p>They are costly to produce.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What behavior might animals exhibit during food shortages?

    <p>Restrain reproduction</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which stage of Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome involves the body's immediate reaction to a stressor?

    <p>Alarm</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In Calhoun's studies, what is likely a consequence of overcrowding in rats termed as 'behavioral sink'?

    <p>Social breakdown</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to J.J. Christian's findings, what physiological response is triggered by overpopulation?

    <p>Elevated adrenal gland activity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What significant impact does prolonged stress have according to Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome?

    <p>Leads to burnout or disease</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a key difference in stress levels between subordinate and dominant individuals in social hierarchies?

    <p>Subordinates experience higher stress</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does modern evolutionary biology view group selection compared to kin and individual selection?

    <p>Group selection is largely rejected</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does stress play as observed in Christian's model regarding population control?

    <p>Stress serves as a natural population control mechanism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Introduction

    • Animal behaviour can be studied for various reasons, including interest in species, processes, patterns, or broader questions.
    • Approaches include conceptual/therapeutic and empirical/methodological approaches.
    • Key examples of species are turtles, chipmunks, apes, marmosets, coyotes, birds, voles and elephant nose fish.
    • Key examples of processes are theory of mind, reproductive suppression, fear/boldness traits.
    • Key examples of patterns are preening, grooming behavior, and play behaviour.
    • Key examples of broader questions are conservation, evolution, parasitology, and development of animal behaviours.

    Two Major Fields

    • Psychology (Comparative Psychology): Focuses on animal behaviour from a psychological perspective using methods often conducted in laboratory settings.
    • Biology (Behavioral Biology): Focuses on animal behaviour from a biological perspective incorporating ethology, sociobiology, and behavioral ecology.

    Areas with Peripheral Interest

    • Anthropology: Includes primatology (study of primates) and anthrozoology (human-animal relationships).
    • Computer Sciences: Artificial life (AL), artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics utilize behavioural models.
    • Neurosciences and Biomedical Sciences: Animal models are used to understand human diseases and disorders.
    • Model Systems: These are animals commonly used to understand biological processes. Rodents are an example.

    Applications

    • Animal behaviour research impacts behavioural techniques for training service animals, animal welfare, therapeutic applications (zootherapy and companionship), and conservation/pest control.
    • This research is used to develop strategies for species preservation and pest control strategies.

    Comparative Psychology

    • Definition: A branch of psychology focusing on the understanding of animal behaviour based on psychological principles utilizing experimental methods.
    • Historical Context: Comparative psychology dominated behavioral science during the behaviorism era, for example Watson and Skinner.
    • Focus: Primarily studies learning and acquired behaviours, often ignoring mental processes.

    Ethology

    • Definition: The study of animal behaviour in natural settings emphasizing innate behaviours and species-specific traits.
    • Approach: Focuses on observable behaviours and ecological validity in natural environments, using inductive methods and observational studies.
    • Key Figures: Konrad Lorenz, Niko Tinbergen, and Karl von Frisch, awarded the Nobel Prize.

    Comparative Psychology vs. Ethology

    • Nature vs nurture debate: Ethology emphasizes innate behaviours while comparative psychology focuses on learned behaviors.

    Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology

    • Sociobiology: Emerged from E.O. Wilson's book, emphasizing evolutionary biology and genetics. Key figures include George Williams, Richard Dawkins, and Robert Trivers.
    • Behavioural Ecology: Focuses on the interaction between animal behaviour and the environment, including social behaviours, mating systems, foraging strategies, and evolutionary fitness (survival and reproduction).

    Behavioural Classification Biases

    • Ethology: Focuses on behaviours, patterns, structures, and mechanisms, often related to survival and reproduction.
    • Behavioural Ecology: Focuses on functions of behaviours and their relationship to survival and reproduction.

    Fixed Action Patterns (FAPs)

    • Characteristics: Triggered by specific stimuli; executed consistently; stereotyped; predictable across individuals within a species.
    • Example: Greylag geese egg-rolling behaviour

    Animal Taxonomy

    • Taxon (taxa): A classification unit in biological taxonomy.
    • Taxonomy (systematics): Science of classifying organisms, including their naming and identifying features.

    Vertebrate Terminology

    • Lower Vertebrates: Agnatha (jawless fishes), Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous), Osteichthyes (bony).
    • Higher Vertebrates: Amniota, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals

    Vertebrate Evolutionary Tree

    • Agnathans, Chondrichthyes, Osteichthyes, Tetrapods, and Amniotes (Reptiles, Birds, Mammals) are part of the vertebrate evolution.

    Mustelids and Adaptations

    • Key species: Spotted skunk, American mink, Wolverine, American badger, Fisher,
    • Shared Characteristics: Musk glands for scent marking.

    Domestic Cats

    • Ancestry: Likely from African wildcats (felis lybica), and possibly European wildcats (felis sylvestris).

    Domestication Syndrome

    • Definition: A set of phenotypic traits arising.
    • Examples: Non-behavioral (reduced brain size, changes in reproductive cycles, colour changes), Behavioral (increased tameness), and Origins.

    Phenotypic Dimensions

    • Chemophenes (molecular changes), Somatophenes (body morphology), Physiophenes (physiological systems), Ethophenes (observable behaviours), Psychophenes (internal processes).

    Mating Systems

    • Polygamy: Often strong sexual dimorphism and competition.
    • Monogamy: Often weaker sexual dimorphism and similar investment from both partners.
    • Conflicts in mating preferences include male desires, female preferences, and indicator of fitness.

    Male-Male Competition

    • Aggression, Sperm competition, Kleptogamy

    Reproductive Success

    • Measures include the number of offspring born, weaned individuals, and individuals reaching reproductive age.

    Sexual Selection

    • Evolutionary mechanisms where traits favour mating success due to their quality and quantity.

    Parental Care

    • Activities that enhance offspring survival (feeding and guarding). It includes maternal, paternal, and alloparental care.

    Parental Care Theories

    • Parental Provision Model; Conflict Model; Symbiosis/Mutualism Model

    Mating in Birds

    • About 90% of bird species are mating monogamously.

    Gang-brooding

    • Multiple parents caring for multiple broods.

    Group Size and Population Regulation

    • Key concepts pertaining to groups and their populations.

    Evolutionary/Ecological Theories of Group Selection and Overpopulation

    • Wynne-Edwards' Group Selection; Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome; Calhoun's and Christian's Models; Sapolsky's Work on Dominance and Stress

    Syngnathids and Northern Pipefish

    • Overview of sehaorses, pipefish, pipehorses, and seadragons.

    Turtles (Testudines)

    • Nova Scotia species, temperature-dependent sex determination, reproduction, and conservation.

    Salamanders (Urodela)

    • Nova Scotia species, morphs, characteristics, reproduction and habitat.

    Overview of Key Animal Taxons

    • Overview of Key Animal Taxons, like Marsupialia, Chiroptera, Lagomorpha, Rodentia, Cetacea, Perissodactyla, Artiodactyla, and Primates.

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    Description

    This quiz explores the various aspects of animal behaviour, including the key species studied, the processes and patterns observed, and the broader questions that drive research in this field. It distinguishes between the psychological and biological perspectives on animal behaviour, highlighting the methodologies used in each approach.

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