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Behavior III

Behavior III. Patterns of Behavior. Imprinting. Combines innate and learned behaviors Operational only during a “critical period” Example- parental recognition Innate: urge to follow first moving object seen Learned, recognizing that individual as “parent.”

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Behavior III

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  1. Behavior III Patterns of Behavior

  2. Imprinting • Combines innate and learned behaviors • Operational only during a “critical period” • Example- parental recognition • Innate: urge to follow first moving object seen • Learned, recognizing that individual as “parent.” • Lorenz credited with discovery

  3. Rhythmic behaviors • Animals repeat behaviors at regular intervals (daily, seasonally). • Circadian (daily) rhythms are regulated by environmental cues. • Amount of light is the most common trigger (nocturnal/diurnal). • Foraging Behavior (food seeking) • Optimal foraging strategy: • Predicts the best way for an animal to forage. • Courtship and hibernation are partially based on physiological and hormonal changes linked to external factors such as day length. • Amount of food/energy and length of day

  4. Optimal Foraging Strategy • Animals should behave in such a way as to find, capture and consume prey containing the most calories while spending the least amount of time/energy possible in doing so.

  5. Types of communication • Chemical: communication through the use of chemical signals, such as pheromones. • Visual: visual cues like feathers, coloration, posture. • Auditory: use of sound • Tactile: use of touch, (handshake, anntennae, vibration, grooming)

  6. Social behavior • Social behavior = Interaction between two or more animals. (Signals include physical movement and chemicals.) • Example courtship, familial bond, allo-grooming • Agonistic behavior = A contest of threat displays which continues until a participant submits and yields access to a resource (e.g. mate, food, territory). • Ritual = Symbolic behavior that minimizes the possibility of serious injury to the antagonists. • Territoriality = defense of areas typically used for feeding, mating, rearing young etc.

  7. Territoriality • Used to protect and defend space • Mating display platforms, nest sites, feeding grounds, water sources, dens, offspring (any resource) • Costly (up to 3000 cal/ day) spent by some species of birds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0Lw23yQFwQ • The greater/more plentiful the resource, the less territoriality and the smaller the range.

  8. Maintaining Territory • 1st try ritual/threat: Signal that act as displays or threats (non-violent), lower cost • Body size, badges, coloration (brilliance or change), posture, scent marking • Typically owner or resident=territory holder, has advantage. • Invader= “floater” • 2nd try Agonistic behavior: contest or threat (physical/costly) • Singing in insects, frogs, birds • Fighting

  9. Pecking order • Maintains social hierarchies or dominance levels. • Beneficial because with social status in place, individuals know who they can challenge without extreme risk • Maintained through agonistic behavior • Alphas=top, Betas- second (maintain aggressions, do most fighting), Omegas- bottom

  10. Pecking order example: Birds • In social/group foraging all individuals look for food! • BUT: Alphas eat first and get best food • Betas eat second • Omegas feed last • Seems unfair, but this way the little guy is guaranteed a meal(even though small)

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