BIOLOGY 1M03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Kin Selection, Inbreeding, Blue-Collar Worker
29 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Scientists:
Niko Tinbergen, Konrad Lorenz and Karl von Frish
These people considered themselves to be an
ethnologists. Ethology refers to the comparative study of
behavior, looking at different species and the situations
they are in and their behavior patterns.
Niko Tinbergen tended to study in early days very
proximate things, he found varying wasp that had a nest
that was in ground. Arranged pinecone around nest and
let the wasp get used to landmarks for finding way
home. Later on, he would move the landmarks, the
wasp was confused by that and would try to land.
Was paying attention to landscape and
surroundings as a way of navigation
Karl Von Frisch – discovered that bees
communicate effectively with a round/waggle dance.
Showing a waggle dance where the direction down
translates into minds of bees into a direction
according to sun, away from sun = going down,
amount of waggling in the straight phase tells its friends how it is to this patch of
nectar. So here the source – 100 m away from hive, the bee will do a certain
amount of waggling that reflects the distance and going down (bee is going down)
means just go down from sun. Effective way of showing place for feeding. He
figured out how do these bees share this information and what might be an
interesting question is why do they share this information. Why don’t they just keep
it to themselves?
Stotting springbok (antelope)
Gazelle – these animals tense up his muscles and leap into the air, curve and
sometimes straight up. Expending incredible energy, bouncing up, jumping up in
mid air at high cost
Stotting springbok – thought to be engaging in an altruistic act.
You see a lion or wild dog and you do this stotting. The other individuals see you
doing this and they may start running away to escape this predator. Was thought tot
be an example of an altruist.
Altruist: One who behaves in ways to benefit others at some cost to itself.
Springbok pronking
So why should it be doing this? A study done by V.C Wyne
Edwards. He wrote a book on animal dispersion, argues that
animals pay attention to how many of them are and then they
make decisions on future outcomes
Showing in this photo, these are birds in a flock. In autumn, black
birds will assemble in flocks, form shapes and change directions
and it all diminishes. He called these epidiectic displays. In his
mind, these display allows them to census their population and if
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there are too many birds in the
habitat then we should not be
reproducing. Next year, I wont
reproduce because too many birds
for habitat. Why should birds be
able to make these smart decisions
Here’s an analogy: We’ve already
talked about how behaviors have a
genetic component
Giving all birds a gene, A = altruist,
S = selfish
Potential mixture, a mix population
– take the Wyne view of life. Too
many birds = forgo breeding. What will happen is A will forego
breeding and selfish will go into bird and breed. Means more
copies of selfish genes. Genotype frequencies will change.
More selfish than altruist. This doesn’t work.
Larson’s cartoon
Lemmings running into sea
This doesn’t happen
They reach a high density, ones that have a genetic type
that are prone to dispersal, they are leaving an area of high
density and they are seeking a new land. And they just
happen to run into a cliff sometimes.
Without controls or consequences, cheaters do best.
Stotting
•To stalking lions: “I see you and I am ready to outrun you.”
You wont get close enough, go away so I can get back to my
exercise. I can outrun you and I see you.
•To hunting wild dogs: “I can stot like this forever and will surely evade you. Get that
other gazelle that can’t stot like me; he will be easier to catch.” Showing off energy,
selfish behavior
Stotting springbok (antelope)
Springbok Altruist: One who behaves in ways to
benefit others at some cost to itself. This is not
supported by evidence
Parents raise young, because genes are in us half
go into young. We put our genes in gene pool
Father, mother and helper bird. Helper wont reproduce and instead it will help
protect the eggs and young. Will bring food, will give alarm call out. Will defend nest.
It is costly.
Turns out that in these animals, helpers are offspring from a previous group, related
to young. Siblings. Close genetic relatives. Helping to promote helping by helping
sibling which share gene to a high probability
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Niko tinbergen, konrad lorenz and karl von frish. These people considered themselves to be an ethnologists. Ethology refers to the comparative study of behavior, looking at different species and the situations they are in and their behavior patterns. Niko tinbergen tended to study in early days very proximate things, he found varying wasp that had a nest that was in ground. Arranged pinecone around nest and let the wasp get used to landmarks for finding way home. Later on, he would move the landmarks, the wasp was confused by that and would try to land. Was paying attention landscape and surroundings as a way of navigation to. Karl von frisch discovered that bees communicate effectively with a round/waggle dance. So here the source 100 m away from hive, the bee will do a certain amount of waggling that reflects the distance and going down (bee is going down) means just go down from sun.
