Biology 1001A Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Ultimatum Game, Housefly, Cultural Intelligence
30 Mar 2017
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Cooperation and conflict: advantages and disadvantages of living in a group. Advantages: cooperating predators capture prey more effectively // prey may benefit from group defense (more pairs of watchful eyes; multiple lures so it is difficult for predator to focus on attacking one individual) Disadvantages: costly: increased competition for food, communal living may facilitate the spread of contagious diseases and parasites, not all animals in group are social. Social animals usually live in groups characterized by structure: some individuals dominate others (dominance hierarchy) manifested in access to resources. Dominant (alpha) gets priority access to food (or males/sleeping sites) Absolute same individual always has priority access. Relative status dependent on circumstance (one may dominate food, the other mates) Cost: dominant must constantly defend their status. Higher levels of cortisol and other stress hormones induce high blood pressure and disruption of sugar metabolism and other pathological conditions. Gain benefits from helping dominant raise young: meaning of eusocial and haplodiploidy.
