of territoriality often forces less fit animals to live
in sub optimal habitats, thus reducing their
TUGAS TOEFL
Nama: Istikharoh
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Prodi : Akuntansi Dan Bisnis
Animal Behavior / Territoriality
Territoriality is a type of intraspecific or
interspecific competition that results from the
behavioral exclusion of others from a specific
space that is defended as territory. This well-
defined behavior is exhibited through songs and
calls, intimidation behavior, attack and chase, and
marking with scents. This form of defense proves
to be very costly for animals. So one is forced to
ask, Why do animals take part in such
interspecific competition?
In order to understand this question one
must take a cost-benefit approach to territoriality.
The proximate reasons for such defense vary. For
some animals the reason for participating in such
elaborate protective behavior is to acquire and
protect food sources, nesting sites, mating areas,
or to simply attract a mate. The ultimate cause of
this behavior may be attributed to the increased
probability of survival and reproductive successes.
In defending a territory an animal is ultimately
securing that it will have an habitat in which to
forage for food and to successfully reproduce, thus
increasing the animal's overall fitness. This
ultimate theory is strengthened when one
considers the instances in which territoriality
increases; in times of depleted resources the
presence of territoriality increases. The presence
reproductive success.
Though territoriality offers immense
reproductive and nutritional benefits, it also comes
at a cost. Defending territory is not easy.
Territoriality cost time and energy and can often
interfere with other fundamental activities as
parenting, feeding, courting, and mating. For these
reasons territoriality may not be seen as a benefit
in all animals. Animals must be able to reap the
fruits of territoriality, while expending the least
amount of energy. For these reasons if resources
are abundant and predictable it would be
disadvantageous to defend the territory. On the
other hand, if resources are scarce and
undependable it would be advantageous to exhibit
territoriality
In selecting a territory the size and the
quality play a crucial role in determining an
animals habitat. Territory size generally tends to
be no larger than the organism than requires to
survive, because with an increase in territory
comes an increased in energy expenditure. For
some animals the territory size is not the most
important aspect of territoriality, but rather the
quality of defended territory. The quality is
considered to be fundamentally important due to
amount of food availability and superior nesting
sights. Animals depend on these features to ensure
their superior fitness.
Animals invest a lot of time and energy in
defending their territories, and for this reason they
fight vigorously to defend their territory at all
cost. Researchers suggest for this reason that when
a rival challenges a territory holder, the owner
almost always wins the contest. This phenomenon
could be attributed to an evolutionary stable
strategy which assets that rules for behavior is
controlled by an inherited proximate mechanism
such that the differences between individuals in
their strategies are liked to differences in their
genes. Territory plays an important role as a
mechanism of population regulation, insuring the
success of fit animals, and aiding in the
eradication of less fit animals. Territorially also
plays a fundamental role as an indicator of
carrying capacity; it also serves as an indicator of
how much habitat is necessary to support viable
populations. For these reasons researchers
continue to examine the well-developed behavior
of territoriality.