Page ‹#› Animal Behavior This just in: Male lobsters may urinate in the face of other males Write down a question about this behavior Today - Approaches to the study of animal behavior 1. The description of the behavior 2a. The physiological basis of the behavior 2b. The neurological basis of the behavior 3. The role of learning and instinct in the acquisition of a behavior 4. The evolutionary history of the behavior in the species and its relatives 5. The adaptive significance of the behavior I. The five approaches to behavior What happens ? 1. The description of the behavior I. The five approaches to behavior How does urination work as communication? What machinery is involved? 2a. The physiological basis of the behavior I. The five approaches to behavior How does urination work as communication? What machinery is involved? 2a. The physiological basis of the behavior 2b. The neurological basis of the behavior
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Animal Behavior - The University of Arizona06ho6.pdf · of animal behavior 1. The description of the behavior 2a. The physiological basis of the behavior 2b. The neurological basis
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Animal BehaviorThis just in: Male lobsters mayurinate in the face of other males
Write down a question about thisbehavior
Today - Approaches to the studyof animal behavior1. The description of the behavior2a. The physiological basis of the
behavior2b. The neurological basis of the
behavior
3. The role of learning and instinct i nthe acquisition of a behavior
4. The evolutionary history of thebehavior in the species and itsrelatives
5. The adaptive significance of thebehavior
I. The five approaches tobehavior
What happens ?
1 . The description of thebehavior
I. The five approaches tobehavior
How does urination work ascommunication? Whatmachinery is involved?
2a. The physiological basis ofthe behavior
I. The five approaches tobehavior
How does urination work ascommunication? Whatmachinery is involved?
2a. The physiological basis ofthe behavior
2b. The neurological basis ofthe behavior
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I. The five approaches tobehavior
How does the behavior of urinatingon other males develop?
3. The role of learning and instinctin the acquisition of a behavior
I. The five approaches tobehavior
Why has this species of lobsterdeveloped this behavior?
4. The evolutionary history of thebehavior in the species and itsrelatives
I. The five approaches tobehavior
And the one you’ve all beenwaiting for… .
Why do male lobsters urinate onother males?
5. The adaptive significance ofthe behavior
Questions about behavior can becategorized into what and howquestions (proximate) and why(ultimate) questions
Proximate cause - an immediateunderlying cause, the mechanism
Ultimate cause - the evolutionaryreason for why something is theway it is. Can have adaptive andhistorical components.
Behavior can be approached usingboth what and how (proximate)and why (ultimate) questions
What happens ?
Behavior can be approached usingboth what and how (proximate)and why (ultimate) questions
What happens ? PROXIMATE
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Behavior can be approached usingboth what and how (proximate)and why (ultimate) questions
What happens ? PROXIMATE
How does urination work ascommunication? What machineryis involved?
Behavior can be approached usingboth what and how (proximate)and why (ultimate) questions
What happens ? PROXIMATE
How does urination work ascommunication? What machineryis involved? PROXIMATE
Behavior can be approached usingboth what and how (proximate)and why (ultimate) questionsWhat happens ? PROXIMATE
How does urination work ascommunication? What machinery isinvolved? PROXIMATE
How does the behavior of urinating onother males develop?
Behavior can be approached usingboth what and how (proximate)and why (ultimate) questionsWhat happens ? PROXIMATE
How does urination work ascommunication? What machinery isinvolved? PROXIMATE
How does the behavior of urinating onother males develop? PROXIMATE
Behavior can be approached usingboth what and how (proximate)and why (ultimate) questionsWhat happens ? PROXIMATE
How does urination work ascommunication? What machinery isinvolved? PROXIMATE
How does the behavior of urinating onother males develop? PROXIMATE
Why has this species of lobsterdeveloped this behavior?
Behavior can be approached usingboth what and how (proximate)and why (ultimate) questionsWhat happens ? PROXIMATE
How does urination work ascommunication? What machinery isinvolved? PROXIMATE
How does the behavior of urinating onother males develop? PROXIMATE
Why has this species of lobsterdeveloped this behavior? ULTIMATE
Why do male lobsters urinate on othermales?
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Behavior can be approached usingboth what and how (proximate)and why (ultimate) questionsWhat happens ? PROXIMATE
How does urination work ascommunication? What machinery isinvolved? PROXIMATE
How does the behavior of urinating onother males develop? PROXIMATE
Why has this species of lobsterdeveloped this behavior? ULTIMATE
Why do male lobsters urinate on othermales? ULTIMATE
Today - examples of studiesusing the different approaches
1. The description of the behavior - N oexample
2a. The physiological basis of thebehavior
2b. The neurological basis of thebehavior
3. The role of learning and instinct in theacquisition of a behavior
4. The evolutionary history of thebehavior in the species and its relatives
5. The adaptive significance of thebehavior - All of next lecture
2a. The physiological basis ofbehavior
Example: Aggression in mice:effects of female hormones inthe uterine environment
2a. The physiological basis ofbehavior
Example: Female hormones in theuterine environment of mouseembryosObservation: Malesdeveloping betweentwo females (OM)were exposed tomore female hormone,estradiol and less malehormone, testosteronethan males surroundedby two males (2M)
Estra
diol
inam
niot
ic fl
uid
Femalemales
2M OM
2a. The physiological basis of behavior
Example: Female hormones in theuterine environment of mouse embryos
2a. The physiological basis ofbehaviorExample: Hormones in the uterine
environment of mouse embryos
Results:
Interpretation?
Perc
enta
ge a
ttack
ing
stra
nger
2MOM
2b. The neurological basis ofbehavior
Example: Moths evading bats
2b. The neurological basis ofbehavior
Example: Moths evading batsObservation: When bats approached,
moths were seen to change direction or engage in erratic flight. Could moths hear the bats approach?
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2b. The neurological basis of behavior
Example: Moths evading batsFound an ear on each
side of moth thorax -a tympanic membranewith 2 receptorneurons, A1 and A2 Ears
Tympanicmembrane A1 & A2
receptorcells
2b. The neurological basis ofbehavior
Example: Moths evading bats
Question: What information dothese two neurons receive andhow do they direct escape of themoth?
2b. The neurological basis ofbehavior
Example: Moths evading bats
Experimental design:Tethered live moths in a chamber
2b. The neurological basis ofbehavior
Example: Moths evading bats
Experimental design:Tethered live moths in a chamberPut electrodes in one of the
receptors
2b. The neurological basis ofbehavior
Example: Moths evading batsExperimental design:Tethered live moths in a chamberPut electrodes in one of the
receptorsExposed moths to bat-like sounds of
different intensity (loudness),frequency (pitch) and duration
2b. The neurological basis ofbehavior
Example: Moths evading bats
Experimental design:Tethered live moths in a chamberPut electrodes in one of the
receptorsExposed moths to sounds of
different intensity (loudness),frequency (pitch) and duration
Recorded the response of thereceptor
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2b. The neurological basis ofbehaviorExample: Moths evading batsA1 receptor:
A1 receptor
Lowintensity
Moderateintensity
Highintensity
2b. The neurological basis of behavior
Example: Moths evading batsA1 receptor: Graded response to
pulses of sound depending onintensity (loudness)
A1 receptor
Lowintensity
Moderateintensity
Highintensity
2b. The neurological basis ofbehavior
Example: Moths evading batsA1 receptor:Experimenters suggested that
differences in firing of the L and RA1 neuron would tell moth wherethe sound is coming from, allow itto move in opposite direction
2b. The neurological basis of behavior
Example: Moths evading batsA1 receptor:
Bat to oneside
Bat directlybehind
2b. The neurological basis ofbehavior
Example: Moths evading batsA2 receptor:
A2 receptor
Lowintensity
Moderateintensity
Highintensity
2b. The neurological basis ofbehavior
Example: Moths evading batsA2 receptor: Only responded to
high intensity (loud) bursts ofsound
A2 receptor
Lowintensity
Moderateintensity
Highintensity
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2b. The neurological basis of behavior
Example: Moths evading batsA2 receptor: Only responded to
high intensity (loud) bursts ofsound
Experimenters suggested that firingof this neuron may cause shutdown of central flight steeringmechanisms in brain, result in theerratic flight that moths exhibitwhen bats are very close
2b. The neurological basis of behavior
Moths evade bats by a very elegantand simple neurologicalmechanism
2 independent neurons
One for when the bat is far enoughaway that a simple change ofdirection will work
The other for situations whereimmediate evasive action isnecessary - when flight path is notpredictable, bats have difficultytracking moth flight
3. The role of learning and instinctin the acquisition of a behavior
Example: Nest finding bybeewolves
3. The role of learning and instinctin the acquisition of a behavior
Example: Nest finding bybeewolves
Beewolf natural history
3. The role of learning and instinctin the acquisition of a behavior
Example: Nest finding by beewolvesBeewolf natural history
How do they find their nest again?
3. The role of learning and instinctin the acquisition of a behavior
Example: Nest finding bybeewolves
Hypothesis: When theyleave the nest, theymemorize locallandmarks… so theylearn to recognizethe spot
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3. The role of learning and instinctin the acquisition of a behavior
Example: Nest finding bybeewolves
Experiment 1: Experimentermixed up the local landmarks(stones, vegetation, etc.).
3. The role of learning and instinctin the acquisition of a behavior
Example: Nest finding bybeewolves
Experiment 1: Experimentermixed up the local landmarks(stones, vegetation, etc.).
Results: Wasps took longer tofind nest entrance
3. The role of learning and instinctin the acquisition of a behavior
Example: Nest finding bybeewolves
Another experiment?
3. The role of learning and instinctin the acquisition of a behavior
Example: Nest finding bybeewolves
Experiment 2: Experimentercarefully moved all the locallandmarks to surround a spot ameter or so away
3. The role of learning and instinctin the acquisition of a behavior
Example: Nest finding bybeewolves
Experiment 2: Experimentercarefully moved all the locallandmarks to surround a spot ameter or so away
What result would you expect ifthe hypothesis was true?
4. The evolutionary history of thebehavior in the species and itsrelatives
Example: courtship behavior incormorants
What are the functions of courtshipbehavior?
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4. The evolutionary history of thebehavior in the species and itsrelatives
Example: courtship behavior incormorants
Observation: male pelagic shags(a type of cormorant) performthis courtship behavior:rapid-flutter wingwaving, whilehead is back,pointing straight up
4. The evolutionary history of thebehavior in the species and itsrelatives