Animal Behavior

Chp 33 Pp. 858-879

Table of Contents

33.1 Innate Behavior 33.2 Learned Behavior

33.1 Innate Behavior

Behavior is anything an animal does in response to a stimulus.

A stimulus is an environmental change that directly influences the activity of an organism

33.1 Innate Behavior

Animals carry on behaviors with adaptive value: Getting food Avoiding predators Caring for young Finding shelter Attracting mates

Enable reproduction & survival of species

33.1 Innate Behavior

Inherited Behavior Natural selection favors certain behaviors.

To capture prey, toads detect & follow movement. The tongue flipping out is a fixed action pattern.

Genes form the basis for innate behavior.

Hormonal balance Nervous system

Sense organs for sight, touch, sound odor ID

Affect how sensitive organisms are to stimuli

33.1 Innate Behavior

33.1 Innate Behavior

Automatic responses Reflexes Involves no

conscious control Fight or flight

response controlled by hormones & nervous system

Fixed Action Patterns

Instincts

Fixed Action Patterns Quick automatic

response

Instincts Complex pattern of

innate behavior Animal recognizes

stimulus & continues until all parts of behavior are accomplished

33.1 Innate Behavior

33.1 Innate Behavior

Instincts Courtship Behavior

Bowerbirds create displays to attract mates

Bowerbird Display video

Fireflies flash distinctive light patterns that are species specific.

33.1 Innate Behavior

33.1 Innate Behavior

Territoriality reduces competition.

A territory is a physical space an animal defends against others of its species. Breeding area Feeding area Potential mates

Male Siberian Tigers

Mark territories with pheromones

Attack & drive intruders away

Improves survival of young and of the species

33.1 Innate Behavior

Lion performing scuffing ceremony.

33.1 Innate Behavior

Aggressive behavior threatens other animals

Used to intimidate others of same species

To defend young, territory or resource

33.1 Innate Behavior

Submission leads to dominance hierarchies

Form of social ranking within a group in which some are subordinate or dominant to others

Hierarchy innate but position may be learnedWolves with female dominance hierarchy

33.1 Innate Behavior

Behavior resulting from internal & external cues

Biological or circadian rhythms, day/night sleep cycle

Seasonal cycle Migration- instinctive

seasonal movement Hibernation Estivation

Migrating caribou

33.1 Innate Behavior

Hibernation State in which body

temp drops, oxygen consumption & breathing rate drops

Conserves energy

Estivation Reduced metabolism

for living in extreme heat or to drought or lack of food

33.2 Learned Behavior

When behavior changes due to practice or experience

Allows animals to adapt to change

Especially important to those with longer life spans

Black bears have learned to choose minivans as targets for raiding food! (Nat. Geo)

33.2 Learned Behavior

Habituation An animal becomes

habituated when it no longer responds to a stimulus.

The gorillas shown here are habituated to the presence of humans.

33.2 Learned Behavior Imprinting Form of learning

that occurs at a specific critical time forming a social attachment to an object or individual

Birds imprint within a day or two of hatching

Usually irreversible

CA condor w/ puppet

33.2 Learned Behavior

By trial & error Animal receives a

reward for making a particular response

Motivation is internal need that causes an animal to act; necessary for learning to take place

Usually involves satisfying a need

33.2 Learned Behavior

Classical conditioning- learning by association

Pavlov noted that dogs salivate at smell of food

By ringing a bell when presenting food he established association

Eventually sound of bell resulted in dog salivating

Conditioned response Ivan Pavlov

33.2 Learned Behavior

Insight- most complex kind of learning

Animal uses previous experience to respond to new situation

Ex. Solving math problems

Sea Otter

33.2 Learned Behavior

Communication- exchange of info resulting in a change of behavior

33.2 Learned Behavior

Communicate by sound

Vibrate in all directions

Warnings, invitations, location, species even gender

Wolf Howling

33.2 Learned Behavior

Signal by odors- Ant odor trails Moth pheromones Scent-marked

territory

33.2 Learned Behavior

Some communication is both innate & learned.

Songbirds have the innate ability to sing; however, they learn their regional dialect.

Goldfinch Song

33.2 Learned Behavior

Language uses symbols to represent ideas.

Requires complex nervous system, memory and insight.

Humans can benefit from using knowledge gained by others.