Ecology

• “the study of home”

• scientific study of interactions between organisms (biotic) and
their environment (abiotic)

• can be studied at different levels…

• organismal • community
• behavioral • ecosystem
• population • global
Explanations for behavior fit into
categories…
1. Proximate – immediate causes
1. Genes and hormones (stimuli perceived to cause a
behavior) Think of an animal behavior.
2. Environment and learning (development)
2. Ultimate – require across generations
What explanations can you
1. Adaptive value think of for WHY that
2. Evolutionary history behavior happens?
Genes influence behavior
• artificial selection
for behavior
produced distinct
groups – suggests
a genetic influence
Genes influence behavior
• gene knockouts allow researchers to
measure the effects of single genes
• mice with inactive fosB gene fail to
develop maternal care
• fosB encodes a protein that activates
other enzymes & genes affecting neural
modifications in hypothalamus of brain

normal fosB gene

mice inactive
Learning also influences behavior
• imprinting is learning that occurs during a critical period
early in life and influences development of species-specific
behavior

• instinctive behavior doesn’t have to be learned (it’s innate)

• cognitive behavior involves processing information and

responding in a way that suggests thinking or understanding
Complex behaviors can be innate or learned
• monarch migration
is innate… 2-3 Summer breeding generations
Fall migration
3-5 generations
separate migratory
generations

Spring migration

Overwinterin
g
Complex behaviors can be innate or learned
• starling migration is innate but
can be modified by experience
(learning)
• experienced birds can correct
their route = true navigation
(vs. orientation = directional
movement using cues like the
sun, stars, Earth’s magnetic field)
Communication facilitates social behavior
• pheromones are chemicals released by one individual that change the
behavior of another individual of the same species (courtship, identify
relatives)
• signal modalities include chemicals, visual cues, sounds, vibrations

• the dance language of honeybees has been studied for decades…

Honeybee Dance Language
< 50m > 50m

• round dance – close food

• waggle dance – far food
• orientation of “straight waggle”
indicates direction to food source
with respect to the sun
• speed of dance indicates distance
to food source (faster = closer)
• bees measure distance based on
the things they pass as they fly
Honeybee Dance Language

Karl Von Frisch (1967)

Today’s Learning Objectives:
• Define ecology and recognize that it can be studied at multiple levels of
organization (organismal, behavioral, population, community, ecosystem,
global).
• Distinguish between proximate and ultimate explanations for behavior.
• Describe studies that support the role of genes (artificial selection for maze
speed, fosB knockout mice) and learning (starling migration) in the development
of behavior.
• Distinguish between instinct, imprinting, learning and cognition.
• Describe signal modalities used in communication (chemical, pheromones,
visual, auditory, vibration), and describe the dance language of honeybees
(round dance, waggle dance, distance/direction)
Genes influence behavior
 Complex behaviors can be innate or learned

2-3 Summer breeding generations

Fall migration

Spring migration

Overwintering
Honeybee Dance Language
< 50m > 50m

• round dance – close food

• waggle dance – far food
• orientation of “straight waggle”
indicates direction to food source
with respect to the sun
• speed of dance indicates distance
to food source (faster = closer)
• bees measure distance based on
the things they pass as they fly
Honeybee Dance Language

Karl Von Frisch (1967)