Types of Social Behavior Cooperation –an interaction between A and B that gives both increases in direct fitness Postponed cooperation – A will eventually gain access to a resource controlled by B because of its prior help (By helping the dominant female now, the subordinate has a …

Observations Materials: Xenopus Laevis Water food peachtree dish The tadpole was placed in a peachtree dish with water. The room ranged from 21-23 degree and was fairly dark. The tadpole was very active when the lights were off and remain still or with minimal movement when …

Focal animal, or continuous sampling • Watch 1 animal (or subgroup), and record all of its activities for a pre-determined period of time • Must be able to identify individuals • Useful for observing both states and events • Best way to observe interactions • …

Topics • Physiological Mechanisms • Genetics • Development • Evolution ECOLOGY – the scientific study of the interactions among organisms and their environments Phenotypic variation in a population is due to both genotype & environment  Phenotype = Genotype + Environment Sometimes Genetic differences among individuals …

Altruism – is “self-sacrificing” behavior Altruism lower’s the helper’s reproductive success while increasing the reproductive success of the individual being helped. Many insects like ants, termites and bees are sterile and do not reproduce So, how can individuals pass on genes if they can’t reproduce?  …

Crickets Observation Materials: Plastic container with a cover punctured with holes  Small paper cup Sand Dry dog food Carrots Water 8 Crickets The Crickets were placed in the plastic container with damp sand, carrots on one side and dry dog food on the other side. The …

Lecture: 1 (1/16/18) Introduction, Evolution Lecture: 2 (1/18/18) Introduction, Evolution Lecture: 3 (1/23/18) Altruism Lecture: 4 (1/25/18) Sampling Behavior & Social Behavior Lecture: 5 (1/30/18) Social Behavior Lecture: 6 (2/15/18) Communication    

What is Fitness?  – An organism’s ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment. scientific methods: The six basic steps in hypothesis testing Observation – male lions kill cubs Determine question of interest – why do male lions commit infanticide? hypotheses – Males kill infants …