Animal behaviour

Homework 2 – Monday

Learning Intentions•I can give an example of an animal which respond to stimuli and give an explanation for the behaviour.

Success Criteria•I can explain, with the aid of examples, the difference between instinctive behaviour and learned behaviours. •I can describe how an animal responds to a stimulus and give an explanation for the behaviour.

Responding to the Environment

What environmental factors would affect the behaviour of animals?

Light, temperature, humidity

Woodlice

They eat leaves and

so areHerbivores

Choice chambers

We need to design an experiment using a choice chamber that will tell us what conditions the woodlice prefer to live in.

Experiment

When several woodlice are inserted into a choice chamber

they more around randomly. You can place one in the light and one

in a dark environment to investigate what conditions they

prefer.

Experimental Report

TitleAimHypothesisMethod (including diagram)Results table and graphConclusionEvaluation

Time (min) Number of Woodlice

12345678

(i) What is the advantage to the woodlice of gathering on the dark side of the choice chamber?

•Woodlice are less likely to be spotted by predators. •Dark area more likely to be damper to prevent drying out

.

ii) Describe how the choice chamber could be changed to study the response of

woodlice to two different levels of humidity instead of different light intensities.

Remove the black cover. Add silica gel/drying agent to one half of the choice

chamber and wet cotton wool/paper towels to the other side

Animal Stimulus

Response Importance to Animal

Woodlice Moisture

Woodlice Light

Blowfly maggots

Light

Paramecium

Weak acid

Move to moisture

Move away from light

In dry conditions, they loose water through their permeable skins and dieProtection- less easily seen by predators in dark

Animal Stimulus

Response Importance to Animal

Woodlice Moisture

Woodlice Light

Blowfly maggots

Light

Paramecium

Weak acid

Move away from light

Protection- less easily seen by predators in dark

Animal Stimulus

Response Importance to Animal

Woodlice Moisture

Woodlice Light

Blowfly maggots

Light

Paramecium

Weak acid Move to

weak acid

More chance of finding food-they feed on bacteria which live in slightly acidic water

When do Fiddler crabs emerge from burrow to forage (low or high tide)?

Emerge from burrow at low tide

to forageWhat is the external trigger

stimulus?What is the significance of this

behaviour?

Type of rhythm Animal

Description of rhythmical behaviour

External trigger stimulus Significance

Fiddler crab

Tidal-occurs at the turn of the tide

Crab hunts for food when tide is out

Tide is influenced by the moon

Less chance of being eaten by a fish when tide is out

When does an owl hunt?

What is the significance of this behaviour?

What is the external trigger stimulus?

Type of rhythm Animal

Description of rhythmical behaviour

External trigger stimulus Significance

OwlCircadian-every 24 hours

Hunts at night

Onset of darkness

Owl has a better chance of killing prey

What is the significance of this behaviour?

What is the external trigger stimulus?

When does a hedgehog hibernate?

Type of rhythm Animal

Description of rhythmical behaviour

External trigger stimulus Significance

Hedgehog

Annual –once a year

Hibernates in autumn

Shorter daylengths

Hedgehog can survive winter

When does a swallow migrate from the UK?What is the external trigger

stimulus?What is the significance of this behaviour?

Type of rhythm Animal

Description of rhythmical behaviour

External trigger stimulus Significance

SwallowAnnual –once a year

Migrates to warmer climate in autumn

Shorter daylengths

Better chance of finding food in warmer climate

Behaviour that is repeated regularly

Apparatus used to find out whether woodlice prefer light or dark, dry or humid conditionsWoodlice move away from this so that they are not seen by predatorsType of behaviour practiced by fiddler crab- comes out of burrow when tide is outType of behaviour practiced by hedgehogs when they hibernateType of behaviour practiced by owl when they start hunting at nightBlowfly maggots move away from this to avoid being seen by predatorsWoodlice move to this because their skin is very permeable and prone to drying out

Rhythmical behaviour

Behaviour that is repeated regularly

Choice chamber

Apparatus used to find out whether woodlice prefer light or dark, dry or humid conditions

Light Woodlice move away from this so that they are not seen by predators

Tidal rhythm

Type of behaviour practiced by fiddler crab- comes out of burrow when tide is out

Annual rhythm

Type of behaviour practiced by hedgehogs when they hibernate

Circadian rhythm

Type of behaviour practiced by owl when they start hunting at night

Light Blowfly maggots move away from this to avoid being seen by predators

Moisture Woodlice move to this because their skin is very permeable and prone to drying out