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Questions and Answers
What is a characteristic of K-selected species in the context of offspring care?
What is a characteristic of K-selected species in the context of offspring care?
Which factor is crucial for the success of R-selected species?
Which factor is crucial for the success of R-selected species?
What does semelparity in species like coho salmon refer to?
What does semelparity in species like coho salmon refer to?
How does the fitness of African wild dogs primarily depend on their offspring strategy?
How does the fitness of African wild dogs primarily depend on their offspring strategy?
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What is true about precocial young in terms of their developmental state at birth?
What is true about precocial young in terms of their developmental state at birth?
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What is the primary characteristic of the lek mating system as seen in paradise birds?
What is the primary characteristic of the lek mating system as seen in paradise birds?
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Which of the following mating systems is characterized by social monogamy with a high likelihood of genetic polygamy?
Which of the following mating systems is characterized by social monogamy with a high likelihood of genetic polygamy?
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What does the Bateman principle suggest about reproductive strategies?
What does the Bateman principle suggest about reproductive strategies?
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Which of the following species is an example of genetic monogamy?
Which of the following species is an example of genetic monogamy?
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What primarily drives the evolution of behaviors that maximize fitness in sexually reproducing animals?
What primarily drives the evolution of behaviors that maximize fitness in sexually reproducing animals?
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How does the concept of differential reproductive investment relate to mating systems?
How does the concept of differential reproductive investment relate to mating systems?
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What is the relationship between monogamy and parental care in many animal species?
What is the relationship between monogamy and parental care in many animal species?
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Which social mating system is most common among birds?
Which social mating system is most common among birds?
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What is a negative consequence of producing more eggs per clutch for female birds?
What is a negative consequence of producing more eggs per clutch for female birds?
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Which of the following factors is typically associated with increased parental investment in offspring?
Which of the following factors is typically associated with increased parental investment in offspring?
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In resource defense polyandry, how do females alter their reproductive strategy?
In resource defense polyandry, how do females alter their reproductive strategy?
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What is a key prediction of evolutionary theory regarding parental care?
What is a key prediction of evolutionary theory regarding parental care?
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Which of the following best describes the concept of iteroparity in parental strategies?
Which of the following best describes the concept of iteroparity in parental strategies?
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Why is exclusive male care of eggs notable in some breeding strategies, such as seen in phalaropes?
Why is exclusive male care of eggs notable in some breeding strategies, such as seen in phalaropes?
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What type of young is characterized by being less developed at birth and requiring extensive parental care?
What type of young is characterized by being less developed at birth and requiring extensive parental care?
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What type of mating behavior is characterized by females competing for access to males, as seen in phalaropes?
What type of mating behavior is characterized by females competing for access to males, as seen in phalaropes?
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What is the main goal of communication in the context of sender and receiver interactions?
What is the main goal of communication in the context of sender and receiver interactions?
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What is meant by 'unforced honesty' in signaling?
What is meant by 'unforced honesty' in signaling?
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How do recruitment calls of non-resident ravens exemplify the concept of fitness in signaling?
How do recruitment calls of non-resident ravens exemplify the concept of fitness in signaling?
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What role do courtship signals play in the context of mate selection?
What role do courtship signals play in the context of mate selection?
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What is a critical factor that encourages receivers to focus on honest signals over deceit?
What is a critical factor that encourages receivers to focus on honest signals over deceit?
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What kind of honesty is described as 'forced honesty'?
What kind of honesty is described as 'forced honesty'?
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What is the function of threat displays in animal behavior?
What is the function of threat displays in animal behavior?
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What happens if the interests of the sender and receiver are in conflict?
What happens if the interests of the sender and receiver are in conflict?
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In which model is a relationship between size-matched contests predicted?
In which model is a relationship between size-matched contests predicted?
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What does male claw size measure in terms of competitive success?
What does male claw size measure in terms of competitive success?
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What strategy involves multiple tactics based on individual condition or environment?
What strategy involves multiple tactics based on individual condition or environment?
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What is a hallmark of an evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS)?
What is a hallmark of an evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS)?
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What type of selection maintains genetic polymorphism in behavioral strategies?
What type of selection maintains genetic polymorphism in behavioral strategies?
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In alternative mating strategies, what do conditional strategies rely on?
In alternative mating strategies, what do conditional strategies rely on?
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How are mixed evolutionarily stable strategies characterized?
How are mixed evolutionarily stable strategies characterized?
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In the context of mating strategies, what role does the Natterjack toad exhibit?
In the context of mating strategies, what role does the Natterjack toad exhibit?
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What behavior is exhibited by juveniles who are denied the chance to nurse?
What behavior is exhibited by juveniles who are denied the chance to nurse?
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What is a primary reason why siblings may kill each other during gestation in species such as sand tiger sharks?
What is a primary reason why siblings may kill each other during gestation in species such as sand tiger sharks?
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What distinguishes obligate siblicide from facultative siblicide in birds?
What distinguishes obligate siblicide from facultative siblicide in birds?
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Which of the following is NOT a condition that promotes siblicide?
Which of the following is NOT a condition that promotes siblicide?
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Why might parents engage in behavior that helps one sibling kill another in species exhibiting siblicide?
Why might parents engage in behavior that helps one sibling kill another in species exhibiting siblicide?
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What is the main rationale behind the insurance egg hypothesis in obligate siblicide?
What is the main rationale behind the insurance egg hypothesis in obligate siblicide?
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In what scenario does facultative siblicide typically arise?
In what scenario does facultative siblicide typically arise?
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What consequence does investment in current offspring have on future offspring in the context of sibling rivalry?
What consequence does investment in current offspring have on future offspring in the context of sibling rivalry?
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Study Notes
Optimality Theory
- Positivist perspective views knowledge as derived from unbiased examination of natural phenomena.
- Optimality theory is the idea that traits maximize fitness benefits while minimizing costs.
- Cost-benefit analysis evaluates fitness benefits and costs associated with traits.
- Examples include proportion of time spent singing or flamboyant displays, to attract mates.
- Benefits are often seen as diminishing returns, reaching an asymptote.
- Costs often increase continuously with trait value.
- Trade-offs exist—resources dedicated to one behavior are unavailable for others.
Optimality Theory in Females and Crickets
- Female Ormia ochracea locate and parasitize singing male crickets.
- Risks inherent to these behaviors include parasites and predators.
- Costs include time and energy.
Optimality Theory from Economics
- Optimality theory is derived from economic principles.
- It considers behaviors, possible actions, and the costs and benefits of each in a particular context.
- It determines a common currency for evaluating costs and benefits.
- It also takes into account intrinsic and extrinsic constraints on performance.
Optimality Theory, Crows, and Whelks
- Crows are observed to pick larger whelks (3.5-4.4 cm).
- Crows fly up 5 meters for each trip to pick the whelks.
- Costs are a function of the height and number of trips.
- The optimal strategy for crows may depend on competition and access to resources present.
Optimality and Constraints
- Animals may not use the optimal strategy all the time.
- Constraints and variations in environment will alter the ideal behavior.
- Factors like short-term optimality also influence decision-making.
- Imperfect information can lead to non-optimal behavior, even when the decision rule is perfect.
- Social, environmental, and individual factors influence costs and benefits of traits.
Honest Signals
- Fitness interests of senders and receivers can be coincident.
- Honest signals have clear implications, and these implications are often associated with costs of producing them.
- Dance language of honeybees communicates information about food patches for colony mates, with benefits to both forager and nest mates.
- Recruitment calls of non-resident ravens to defend territories and finding resources is an example of these signals.
- Honest signals are often indicative of traits that are difficult or very expensive to fake.
Mating Systems
- Paradise birds use leks to attract females.
- Shrimp can be monogamous.
- Socially monogamous species may, or may not, be genetically monogamous, especially when mating partners engage in Extra Pair Copulations (or EPCs).
- Costs and benefits of mate assistance shape mating behaviors..
- Females can engage in EPCs (Extra Pair Copulations) to gain benefits like good genes, more resources, better protection, etc.
- Various factors contribute to the evolution of mating systems.
Parental Care
- Parental care is costly to both parents.
- There is a trade-off between current and future reproduction when considering parental care.
- Factors like environmental stability, high offspring mortality, parental care, and relative costs of parental care affect mating behavior.
- The degree that parents can invest in taking care of their offspring or future offspring is affected by factors like environmental conditions and food availability.
Siblicide
- Siblicide occurs when one offspring is killed by another.
- It can be obligate, which is always the case, or facultative, sometimes occurring.
- The timing of siblicide is dependent on whether chicks are produced simultaneously or asynchronously.
- Siblicide occurs in species where resources are limited or where it is difficult for multiple offspring to survive.
Territoriality and Aggression
- Resource holding potential (RHP) refers to the ability to defend a resource., including factors like size, energetic reserves, mobility, weight and weaponry.
- Resource Potential Value (RPV) refers to the value of a resource influencing aggressiveness.
- Various strategies (e.g., Hawk, Dove, Bourgeois) and models (e.g., mutual assessment, self-assessment, cumulative assessment) exist for contest resolution.
- Aggressive behavior tactics (e.g. fights, displays) vary depending on the resource and the contestants' relative capabilities.
Alternative Strategies
- Alternative strategies are flexible behaviors that allow individuals to assess and react to environmental contexts.
- They can involve conditional strategies, which are context-dependent behaviors.
- These are ways in which animals may adapt to different resource and environmental situations using either a fixed or variable-strategy.
Sensory Drive
- Sensory-drive hypothesis suggests evolution of signals due to selection pressure for signals.
- Selection can drive how signals work.
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Description
Explore the concept of optimality theory, which analyzes how traits are adapted for maximizing fitness benefits while minimizing costs. This quiz delves into examples from both biology, such as female cricket behavior, and economic principles, highlighting the trade-offs involved in decision-making processes.
