Animal Ecology

Welcome back! Today (10/15) we will…

Learn about behavioral ecology

Virtually dissect a bee (video)

Figure out why bees (and other organisms) are the way they are

Animal Ecology

Animal ecology

Animal ecology concerns the relationships of organisms to their environment

Animal Ecology

Two principles in animal ecology

1. Balance of Nature- As a population increases, pressures such as food shortage, predation and disease reduce numbers

2. Populations exist in a dynamic (always changing) relationship to their environment

Factors guiding population size

Populations depend on resources like space, food and escaping from predators

As individuals consume resources, they reduce the availability of resources to others in their population

Wolves and rabbits case study

http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/activities/RabbitsAndWolves/

Illustrates dynamic factors that are constantly changing, causes populations to cycle

Behavioral ecology

Behavioral ecology is the study of the evolutionary basis for animal behavior based on ecological pressures

Whether you are watching an animal documentary, playing with your dog or watching fish in an aquarium, you are observing animal behavior.

Behavioral ecology

What does an animal gain (in fitness terms) by doing this rather than that?

Two types of behavior:

Learned behavior – animal isn’t born with, develops through experience. Ex: teaching dog to sit, etc.

Intrinsic behavior – Animal is born with behavior (instincts)

Ex: Siblicide in certain bird species

Behavioral ecology

Adaptation, an organisms ability to adjust to its environment is the central theme in behavioral ecology

Case study: Parasitic relationship between ants and endangered butterflyMaculinea spp., is a parasitic butterfly species with its host colony, Mymica spp. ants.

The butterfly drops from its nest in trees, tricks ants into bringing it back to their burrow, and then feeds on the colony

How does this behavior benefit the butterfly rather than going through the “normal” life cycle of the butterfly?

Is this an intrinsic or learned behavior?

Maculinea spp. and Mymica spp.

Case study: Grey Seals

Grey seals swipe at nets in fish farms in New England

Results in loss of profit, escaping fish

How does this behavior benefit the seal rather than its normal hunting strategy?

Is this an intrinsic or learned behavior?

Grey seals