BIOL 103 Chapter Notes -Natural Selection, Optimal Foraging Theory, Optimality Theory
27 Sep 2013
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Behaviour: observable response of organisms to external or internal stimuli. Behavioural ecology: study of how behaviour contributes to differential survival and reproduction of organisms: ex. Black-headed gulls pick up broken eggshells of hatched chick and carry away from nest: white color of empty eggshell attracts attention of predators such as crows that would kill and eat the chicks or remaining eggs. Ethology: study of animal behaviour, addressed questions about both how animals behave (proximal causation) and why animals behave in particular ways ( ultimate causation) Factors that focus on specific genetic and physiological mechanisms of behaviour, i. e. male deer fight with other males because of change in day length in fall triggers hormonal changes in body proximal causes. Factors that focus on adaptive/evolutionary significance of such behaviours, i. e. male deer fight to mate with females and pass on genes. 53. 1 impact of genetics and learning on behaviour. Innate behaviours are those that seem genetically programmed.
