Question 1

Which of the following best describes the difference between proximate and ultimate causation in behavioral ecology?

Accepted Answer

Proximate causation explains the immediate mechanisms (such as hormones or neural activity) underlying a behavior, while ultimate causation explains the evolutionary reasons why the behavior exists.

Question 2

Which scenario best illustrates a fixed action pattern?

Accepted Answer

A goose rolling an egg back into its nest using a stereotyped movement, even if the egg is replaced with a similar object.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a behavior with a clear genetic basis?

Accepted Answer

Honeybees performing the waggle dance to communicate food location.

Question 4

A researcher is studying why bumble bees refuse to feed on cherry blossoms when it is cold outside. Which type of question is this?

Accepted Answer

Proximate causation, because it investigates the immediate environmental and physiological factors.

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the optimal foraging hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

Animals maximize their energy intake per unit time by balancing the costs and benefits of foraging.

Question 6

In Reto Zach’s study of foraging crows, which of the following decisions did the crows make to optimize their feeding behavior?

Accepted Answer

Selecting the size of whelk, determining the height to drop it, and deciding how many times to drop before giving up.

Question 7

Which of the following is a real-world example of a fitness trade-off?

Accepted Answer

A bird choosing to migrate to avoid cold weather, but risking predation during migration.

Question 8

What is the main trade-off between being a foraging generalist (like a squirrel) and a foraging specialist (like a giant panda)?

Accepted Answer

Generalists can exploit a wide range of resources but may not be as efficient as specialists, who are highly efficient with a narrow range of resources.

Question 9

Which of the following best illustrates the importance of learning about one’s local environment?

Accepted Answer

A rat learning the location of food sources in a maze through repeated trials.

Question 10

Which of the following is a learned behavior?

Accepted Answer

A chimpanzee using a stick to retrieve termites after observing another chimp.

Question 11

Which equation would you use to calculate the cost-benefit ratio of a foraging behavior, and what does it represent?

Accepted Answer

$$	ext{Cost-Benefit Ratio} = \frac{	ext{Energy Gained}}{	ext{Energy Expended}}$$

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a key consideration when performing a cost-benefit analysis of non-human behavior?

Accepted Answer

Assuming animals always act rationally.

Question 13

A squirrel must decide whether to forage for nuts in an open field or near a tree. The open field has more nuts but higher predation risk. Which approach best describes how the squirrel should make this decision?

Accepted Answer

Using the optimal foraging hypothesis to balance energy gain and predation risk.

Question 14

Which of the following best describes FID (Flight Initiation Distance) and how it is measured?

Accepted Answer

FID is the distance at which an animal flees from an approaching threat, measured by gradually approaching the animal and recording the distance at which it escapes.

Question 15

Which scenario best illustrates a learned experience early in life affecting later behavior?

Accepted Answer

A rat exposed to a maze as a juvenile later navigates mazes more efficiently as an adult.

Question 16

Which of the following is a plausible reason why behaviors evolve?

Accepted Answer

Behaviors evolve because they increase an organism's fitness by improving survival and reproduction.

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the general pattern regarding behavioral flexibility?

Accepted Answer

Innate behaviors tend to be more fixed, while learned behaviors are generally more flexible.

Question 18

A panda is a foraging specialist, eating almost exclusively bamboo. What is a likely consequence of this specialization?

Accepted Answer

The panda is highly efficient at digesting bamboo but vulnerable to changes in bamboo availability.

Question 19

Which of the following is an example of cost-benefit analysis predicting foraging patterns?

Accepted Answer

Crows dropping whelks from a height that maximizes the likelihood of breaking the shell while minimizing energy expenditure.

Chapter 50 Study Guide: Behavioral Ecology and Animal Behavior

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