Study Guide: Animal Behavior and Population Ecology (Biology)

Study Guide - Smart Notes

Tailored notes based on your materials, expanded with key definitions, examples, and context.

Q1. Describe the difference between proximate vs ultimate questions.

Background

Topic: Animal Behavior – Proximate and Ultimate Causes

This question tests your understanding of how biologists analyze animal behavior by distinguishing between immediate mechanisms (proximate) and evolutionary reasons (ultimate).

Key Terms:

Proximate questions: Focus on the immediate, mechanistic causes of behavior ("how" it happens).
Ultimate questions: Focus on the evolutionary significance or adaptive value of behavior ("why" it happens in terms of survival and reproduction).

Step-by-Step Guidance

Start by defining what a proximate question is in the context of animal behavior. Think about what triggers a behavior and the physiological or genetic mechanisms involved.
Next, define what an ultimate question is. Consider the evolutionary purpose or advantage of the behavior.
Compare the two by explaining how they address different levels of explanation for the same behavior.
Think of an example behavior (e.g., bird migration) and try to frame both a proximate and an ultimate question about it.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q2. Define behavior.

Background

Topic: Animal Behavior – Definition

This question asks you to provide a clear, concise definition of "behavior" as used in biology.

Key Terms:

Behavior: The observable actions or responses of an organism to its environment or stimuli.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Think about what counts as behavior in animals (and sometimes plants or microbes).
Consider both innate (inherited) and learned behaviors.
Include in your definition that behavior involves a response to internal or external stimuli.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q3. Is any FAP considered an innate behavioral response? Give an example.

Background

Topic: Fixed Action Patterns (FAPs) and Innate Behavior

This question tests your understanding of innate behaviors and the concept of fixed action patterns in animals.

Key Terms:

FAP (Fixed Action Pattern): A sequence of unlearned, innate behaviors that is unchangeable and usually carried to completion once initiated.
Innate behavior: Behavior that is developmentally fixed and not learned.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Recall the definition of a fixed action pattern and whether it is innate or learned.
Think of a classic example of a FAP (not necessarily one discussed in class).
Explain why this example fits the definition of a FAP and why it is considered innate.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q4. The trip to your friend’s house involves turning on a road that is immediately after a cemetery. After repeated trips to your friend’s house, you have come to turn instinctively after the cemetery. Which type of learning have you exhibited?

Background

Topic: Types of Learning in Animals

This question tests your ability to identify different types of learning, specifically spatial, associative, habituation, and social learning.

Key Terms:

Habituation: Decreased response to a repeated stimulus.
Spatial learning: Learning based on experience with the spatial structure of the environment.
Associative learning: Learning that involves making a connection between two stimuli or events.
Social learning: Learning by observing others.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Analyze the scenario: You use a landmark (cemetery) to trigger a behavior (turning).
Review the definitions of each learning type listed in the options.
Determine which type of learning best fits using a landmark to guide behavior.
Eliminate options that do not involve environmental cues or spatial memory.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q5. For the different types of learning, define and give an example not specifically mentioned in class. Name the important scientist in this learning if applicable.

Background

Topic: Types of Learning in Animals

This question asks you to define several types of learning, provide a unique example for each, and name a key scientist if relevant.

Key Terms:

Habituation
Imprinting
Spatial learning
Associative learning (Classical and Operant)
Social learning
Problem solving

Step-by-Step Guidance

For each type of learning, write a brief definition in your own words.
Think of an example for each that was not discussed in class (e.g., habituation: city birds ignoring car horns).
For associative learning, distinguish between classical (Pavlov) and operant (Skinner) conditioning, and name the scientist associated with each.
For imprinting, recall the scientist who studied this (e.g., Konrad Lorenz).
For social learning, consider examples where animals learn by watching others.
For problem solving, think of an animal using tools or figuring out a novel solution.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q6. What are four behaviors described in class that limit energy spent/wasted energy and maximize survivability outcome?

Background

Topic: Behavioral Ecology – Energy Efficiency

This question asks you to recall behaviors that help animals conserve energy and increase their chances of survival.

Key Terms:

Optimal foraging
Territoriality
Migratory behavior
Hibernation/torpor

Step-by-Step Guidance

List behaviors that reduce unnecessary energy expenditure (e.g., foraging efficiently, defending a territory).
Think about how each behavior increases survival or reproductive success.
Briefly describe each behavior and its benefit.
Try to recall examples from class or your textbook.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q7. What is altruism? Give an example not described in class.

Background

Topic: Social Behavior – Altruism

This question tests your understanding of altruistic behavior and your ability to generate a novel example.

Key Terms:

Altruism: Behavior that reduces an individual's fitness while increasing the fitness of another individual.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Define altruism in your own words.
Think of an example from nature or animal behavior that was not discussed in class (e.g., warning calls in birds, but choose a different one).
Explain how the behavior fits the definition of altruism.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q8. How is altruism beneficial to the organism that puts itself at risk?

Background

Topic: Evolution of Altruism – Inclusive Fitness and Kin Selection

This question asks you to explain the evolutionary advantage of altruistic behavior.

Key Terms:

Inclusive fitness: The total effect an individual has on proliferating its genes by producing its own offspring and by helping close relatives produce offspring.
Kin selection: Natural selection that favors altruistic behavior by enhancing reproductive success of relatives.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Explain the concept of inclusive fitness and how helping relatives can increase an individual's genetic contribution to the next generation.
Describe kin selection and how it explains the evolution of altruism.
Consider how reciprocal altruism might also benefit the individual in some cases.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q9. Define population density in both words and mathematical formula.

Background

Topic: Population Ecology – Population Density

This question tests your ability to define population density and express it mathematically.

Key Terms and Formula:

Population density: The number of individuals of a species per unit area or volume.

Key Formula:

= number of individuals
= area (or volume)

Step-by-Step Guidance

Write a definition of population density in your own words.
Recall the formula for calculating population density.
Identify what each variable in the formula represents.
Think of an example calculation (e.g., 100 deer in 10 km2).

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q10. What are the 3 dispersion patterns of populations?

Background

Topic: Population Ecology – Dispersion Patterns

This question asks you to recall the three main ways individuals in a population can be distributed in space.

Key Terms:

Clumped dispersion
Uniform dispersion
Random dispersion

Step-by-Step Guidance

List the three main dispersion patterns.
Briefly describe each pattern and what might cause it (e.g., resource availability, social interactions).
Think of an example organism for each pattern.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q11. What is a survivorship curve, and describe the 3 types.

Background

Topic: Population Ecology – Survivorship Curves

This question tests your understanding of survivorship curves and their types.

Key Terms:

Survivorship curve: A graph showing the number or proportion of individuals surviving at each age for a given species or group.
Type I, II, III curves

Step-by-Step Guidance

Define what a survivorship curve is.
Describe the characteristics of Type I, II, and III curves.
Give an example organism for each type.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q12. What is a K reproducer vs an R reproducer?

Background

Topic: Population Ecology – Life History Strategies

This question asks you to distinguish between K-selected and r-selected reproductive strategies.

Key Terms:

K-selected species: Species that produce fewer offspring but invest more in parental care and survival.
r-selected species: Species that produce many offspring with little parental care, adapted for rapid population growth.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Define K-selected and r-selected reproductive strategies.
List key characteristics of each strategy (e.g., number of offspring, parental care, lifespan).
Think of example organisms for each strategy.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q13. What is a limiting factor that will restrict population growth?

Background

Topic: Population Ecology – Limiting Factors

This question tests your understanding of factors that can limit the growth of populations.

Key Terms:

Limiting factor: Any biotic or abiotic factor that restricts the size of a population.

Step-by-Step Guidance

Define what a limiting factor is.
List examples of limiting factors (e.g., food, water, space, predation, disease).
Choose one example and explain how it restricts population growth.

Try solving on your own before revealing the answer!

Q14. Density dependent vs independent limiting factors

Background

Topic: Population Ecology – Limiting Factors

This question asks you to distinguish between limiting factors that depend on population density and those that do not.

Key Terms:

Density-dependent factors: Factors whose effects increase as population density increases (e.g., competition, disease).
Density-independent factors: Factors that affect populations regardless of density (e.g., weather, natural disasters).

Step-by-Step Guidance

Define density-dependent and density-independent limiting factors.
List examples of each type.
Explain how each type influences population growth differently.