Animal Behavior in Nature - Assignment Example

Order 158321 Animal Behavior a) Explain the requirements for the evolution of sneaking behavior by the process of natural selection. When taking this premise into consideration it is important to keep in mind that evolution can be thought of as genetic change over time. In order to consider sneaking behavior using that theory sexual selection encompassing sneaking behavior must be considered. Roche clarifies this when he writes "Sexual selection is distinguished from natural selection by Charles Darwin" (2006) Further, when contemplating the idea presented by Roche and considering evolutionary requirements it is imperative to know that sexual selection and evolutionary requirements are designated as variance in the number of mates. sneaking behaviors are relevant due to the fact since females are the restraining sex, and females invest more in offspring than males, males tend to be competing for females. (Roche 2006) This proves to be a significant evolutionary requirement and is especially t evolutionary requirement and is especially relevant when taking evolution and sneaking behaviors into account. Given the evolutionary requirements and the success of sneaking behavior in the context of reproducing and the ability to do so it becomes obvious why the Haplochromis burtonii who succeed at this mating form of natural selection will prevail and evolve. In order for evolution to succeed natural selection is first required to be a success. 1) b) Form a hypothesis about the circumstances that favor the evolution of sneaker strategy. My hypothesis as to why the sneaking strategy is favored in certain circumstances is that it succeeds evolutionary because f a disparity in the population of females. If the population of males is more than can be supported by the population in order to survive they can do so by being a sneaker. This is beneficial to the sneaker male because by impersonating a female he is able to a nest in a manner that does not require fighting and his chances of injury is reduced or eliminated. I also think that inclusive fitness may be beneficial to the survival and imminent evolution of the male. Alcock points out that There must be variation in behavior within a population. (205). I believe that sneaking behaviors promotes variation within populations. This premise means that as a minimum a number of this variation must be heritable. By that it is meant that a genetic basis of behavior must be present. This is because a basis for both successful natural selection and evolution behavior must affect the ability of an animal to survive and reproduce. By making reference to inclusive fitness it is meant that the male may have a better chance to reproduce if favored by the females in this respect. However it is important to observe altruism is not a high priority behavior within Haplochromis burtonii populations. However it can exist in regard to inclusive fitness behaviors and by practicing sneaking behavior the sneaker male has a better chance of benefiting from inclusive fitness from the females. Roche explains that "Inclusive fitness can be estimated using a coefficient of relatedness, which estimates the chances that two related individuals both have a given allele (alternately: the proportion of genes that are identical in two individuals because of relatedness)." (2006) I hypothesize that by participating in sneaker behavior the Haplochromis burtonii literally doubles chances of either reproducing or surviving until they are able to do so. 1) c) How could you test this empirically What predictions do you make if the hypothesis is true To test this hypothesis empirically would prove to be a challenge. The reason for that is the challenge of tracking the specific Haplochromis burtonii would be difficult and specific subjects would be impossible to distinguish during many parts of the observation. There is no way to mark the subjects. However the behavior of the Haplochromis burtonii can be observed. It is during the course of these observations that the hypothesis can be tested. If the sneaker males take over nests and ultimately reproduce that could be observe. Instances of inclusive fitness would be more challenging to document and observe. However, if it does in fact exist in the Haplochromis burtonii population being observed it would b obvious to distinguish. As well, if the notion of inclusive fitness is credible sneaker males would flourish among the female populations in the study. e) Use a search engine to do a quick review of the literature (searching for sneaker male)...what comparative support can you find for the hypothesis A review of the literature show many results involving males of all species. John Alcock contributes his knowledge regarding animal behavior in his article Misbehavior How Stephen Jay Gould is wrong about evolution. The article details sneaker female hyenas and includes some inclusive fitness traits displayed by the sneaker females who pose to male hyenas. Pheromones and Animal Behaviour: Communication by Smell and Taste by Tristram D. Wyatt. This article also gives details of male sneakers who appear to exist in many different species including Haplochromis burtonii. details ubiquitous chemical communication among animals from a diverse range of species. The Asian elephant shares a component of its female sex pheromone with140 species of moth. Thus, evolutionary theory provides the backdrop for an interdisciplinary approach to chemical communication that includes information from neurobiological, hormonal, behavioral and ecological research. Further review of the literature revealed an article concerning alternative mating strategies. Rock-paper-scissors, lizard style: Game of life allows all mating strategies By Roger Segelken. In this article Segelken examines the notion that the genetic game of life is to distribute one's genes among the greatest number of offspring; an aggressive male with lots of females in a big territory would seem a likely winner. He c0ntinues to examine alternative mating rituals and strategies including sneaker males. The article Male brood care without paternity increases mating success by Roger Hrdling and Arja Kaitala presents a study in which they investigate under which conditions one can expect the evolution of costly male care for unrelated offspring, when the benefit of such care is in the form of increased mating success. This applies to male helping behavior that cannot be explained as paternal care because the male's own offspring does not benefit from his behavior. If B>C, what is the ESS Explain the answer in terms of the payoff matrix. TO make it easier, consider an initial population that contains all solitary individuals, In the present the ESS the payoff would remain the same with little or no determent on the immediate population in terms of the solitary social population. However over evolutionary time in order for evolution to progress the solitary prey could not remain solitary and must take risks and compete with the social population. a) and then explain what would happen over evolutionary time. b) What is the definition of an ESS Is this true for the ESS that is described above Evolutionary stable strategy. Yes c) Is this ESS the strategy with the highest fitness Compare the costs and benefits for an entire population of solitary individuals versus an entire population of social individuals. play one strategy all of the time in a population where the two strategies are at the equilibria frequencies (for example, 60% of the individuals always call and 40% always act as satellites), or: all individuals play a mixed strategy where each behavior in the mix is performed at the equilibrial frequency. For example, all individuals call 60% of the time and act as satellites 40% of the time. ) Describe how ttuning curves are constructed the value of the resource, chances of winning a resource any costs involved in winning the costs of losing and finally the chance of a loss. b) Interpret, in words, the tuning curves of males and females the tuning curves of males and females differ due to the resources put forth into the reproduction and offspring b) Describe how differences in selection between males and females might have caused this difference in sensitivity Due to the difference in the competitive nature of strategies. Works Cited Alcock, John. 2001. Animal Behavior 8th edition. Sinauer Associates. P. 205. Roche, John P. 2006. Animal Behavior Bulletin. Feature article from Volume 1, Number 3. Oscillating, Frequency-dependant Sexual Selection. Indiana University. Read More