Biology (Mader), 10th Edition

Chapter 43: Behavioral Ecology

Learning Outcomes

After studying this chapter, you should be able to accomplish the following outcomes.

Inheritance Influences Behavior

1. Describe three types of studies that suggest behavior has a genetic basis.
2. Describe two studies that show behavior has a genetic basis.

3. Support the hypothesis that the environment influences behavior by drawing upon experiments in the area of instinct and learning, imprinting, social interactions, associative learning, orientation and migratory behavior, and cognitive learning.

4. List the various ways that animals can communicate and tell the benefits and drawbacks of each method.

5. Describe how territoriality and the particular foraging technique can increase fitness.
6. Support a hypothesis that particular reproductive strategies including sexual selection and altruism can increase fitness.