Question 1

Which of the following prediction(s) arise from the ideal free distribution model?

Accepted Answer

A)  Distribution of individuals matches the distribution of competitors across patches. 
B)  At equilibrium, individuals that move to another patch will obtain fewer resources. 
C)  Distribution of individuals matches the distribution of resources across patches. 
D)  At equilibrium, moving to a new patch yields more resources. 
E)  Habitat choice decisions should be based on the decisions of others. C

Question 2

Read the article by Moczek & Emlen (2000) entitled "Male Horn Dimorphism in the Scarab Beetle, Onthophagus taurus: Do Alternative Reproductive Tactics Favor Alternative Phenotypes?" (Animal Behaviour, vol. 59, pp. 459-466). In this beetle species, two male morphologies exist-one with horns and one without. Horned males are incredibly adept at defending their territories, which are intricate tunnels that often contain breeding females. With that said, how can hornless male phenotypes be maintained in the population? How do you suppose the small, hornless males gain equal reproductive success as horned territorial males?

Accepted Answer

The maintenance of hornless male phenotypes in the population of the scarab beetle, Onthophagus taurus, despite the presence of highly successful horned males, can be attributed to alternative reproductive tactics. While the horned males excel at defending territories and gaining access to breeding females, the smaller hornless males utilize a different strategy to achieve equal reproductive success.

One possible explanation is that hornless males may invest more in sperm production and mating effort, as opposed to investing in costly horn development and territory defense. This alternative tactic allows them to mate with females while the horned males are occupied defending their territories. Additionally, hornless males may also engage in sneaky or opportunistic mating behaviors, such as mating with females while the dominant males are preoccupied or engaging in extra-pair copulations.

Furthermore, the presence of hornless males in the population may also provide genetic diversity and contribute to the overall fitness of the species. It's possible that hornless males possess traits that are advantageous in certain environmental conditions or provide benefits in other aspects of their reproductive success, such as increased sperm competitiveness or offspring survival.

Overall, the coexistence of horned and hornless male phenotypes in the population of Onthophagus taurus can be attributed to the presence of alternative reproductive tactics and the potential benefits of genetic diversity. Despite the apparent advantage of horned males in territory defense, the smaller hornless males are able to gain equal reproductive success through alternative mating strategies and potential genetic contributions to the population.

Question 3

Irruptive migration refers to a situation in which:

Accepted Answer

A)  migration occurs only when conditions are poor. 
B)  annual migration is obligatory. 
C)  millions of animals migrate at the same time. 
D)  animals migrate over distances that exceed 3,000 kilometers. 
E)  certain species migrate multiple times during the same year. A

Question 4

What type of information is important for a territorial animal to learn before versus after territorial establishment?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What type of information is important for...

Question 5

In its simplest form, the conspecific cueing hypothesis examines whether:

Accepted Answer

A)  animals actively communicate information about territory quality to one another. 
B)  juveniles acquire information about how to properly defend territories by watching their parents. 
C)  females prefer to mate with males that occupy superior territories. 
D)  animals learn about the characteristics of a territory from their interactions with other individuals. 
E)  animals learn about the relative quality of many territories by comparing the health of the individuals occupying those areas.

Question 6

Stress hormones like corticosterone typically:

Accepted Answer

A)  impair spatial memory. 
B)  enhance spatial memory just a little bit. 
C)  increase performance in spatial memory tasks by orders of magnitude. 
D)  cause the animal to become completely immobile and unable to perform spatial tasks. 
E)  have no effect on spatial memory tasks.

Question 7

What is the difference between piloting, path integration (dead reckoning) and true navigation? Read the article by Jorge and colleagues (2012), "Homing in Rocky Intertidal Fish. Are Lipophrys pholis l. Able to Perform True Navigation?" (Animal Cognition, vol. 15, pp. 1173-1181). Describe the experimental approach used by the authors and discuss which homing mechanism the fish use. If the fish use true navigation, this implies some sort of "map and compass" approach. Given that compasses rely on the magnetic field, do you think animals have the ability to detect the magnetic field? Generate at least two hypotheses regarding how animals might use a magnetic sense for navigational purposes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the difference between piloting, path...

Question 8

Why is the relationship between territory holders and satellites sometimes considered to be a case of conditional cooperation? Under what circumstances will this cooperative interaction break down?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why is the relationship between territory holders...

Question 9

Abiotic factors that can influence the habitat an animal chooses include:

Accepted Answer

A)  availability and location of mates. 
B)  distribution of prey items. 
C)  availability of shelter. 
D)  distribution of putative predators. 
E)  parasite density.

Question 10

Which of the following factors has NOT been implicated as a means by which fish migrate back to their natal stream as adults?

Accepted Answer

A)  magnetic compass 
B)  learning via exposure to chemical cues 
C)  celestial cues 
D)  food availability 
E)  drifting currents

Question 11

If the ideal free distribution is achieved, then individuals who move from their current patch will:

Accepted Answer

A)  gain significantly more access to resources. 
B)  suffer reduced payoffs relative to individuals that stay put. 
C)  be punished by individuals from the patch that it left. 
D)  not be able to enter a new patch until the next breeding season. 
E)  migrate to an area with less predation risk.

Question 12

Read the article by Altizer and colleagues entitled "Animal Migration and Infectious Disease Risk" (Science, vol. 331, pp. 296-302). Discuss at least two hypotheses regarding how migration might lower the risk of parasite/pathogen infection. How might anthropogenic activities generate "hot spots" for pathogen transmission, and how might this have an adverse effect on human health?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Read the article by Altizer and colleagues...

Question 13

Territorial defense is economically feasible when:

Accepted Answer

A)  the benefits of defense are approximately equal to the costs of defense. 
B)  the benefits of defense are greater than the costs of defense. 
C)  the benefits of defense are lower than the costs of defense. 
D)  the benefits of defense vastly outweigh the costs of defense. 
E)  there are no costs to territorial defense.

Question 14

Males that do not establish a territory of their own but are sometimes tolerated on a territorial male's residence in exchange for assistance in territorial defense are referred to as:

Accepted Answer

A)  sneakers. 
B)  streakers. 
C)  bourgeois. 
D)  mimics. 
E)  satellites.

Question 15

Read the article by Detto and colleagues (2010), "When and Why Do Territorial Coalitions Occur? Experimental Evidence from a Fiddler Crab" (American Naturalist, vol. 175, pp. E119-E125). What is a territorial defense coalition? What rules determine the formation of coalitions in these fiddler crabs? Relate the authors' findings to what you learned about "paths to cooperation" in Chapter 10 of Principles of Animal Behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Read the article by Detto and colleagues...

Question 16

Of the following conditions, which one favors staying on a territory to help raise young?

Accepted Answer

A)  Available territories are abundant. 
B)  Breeding opportunities outside the natal territory are abundant. 
C)  Few competitors exist outside the natal territory. 
D)  Breeding opportunities outside the natal territory are scarce. 
E)  When an individual is distantly related, or unrelated, to the young.

Exam 14: Habitat Selection, Territoriality, and Migration