Behavior Development bLearningSlide 3ImprintingSlide 5Konrad LorenzGreat Tits & Blue TitsImprinting has Different Effects Among SpeciesSpecialized LearningClark’s NutcrackerSlide 11Slide 12Slide 13Nutcracker torture!White Bark PineSeeds germinate in clustersLearning varies among members of the same speciesFactors that Influence the Development of Learned BehaviorEnvironmental DifferencesPolistes Paper WaspsBelding’s Ground SquirrelsSlide 22Slide 23Kin RecognitionSlide 25Ground Squirrel Musical ChairsBelding’s Ground Squirrel Torture!What would you predict?Individuals learn based on their olfactory interactions as youngHave we met?Kin DiscriminationWhy are Females more Discriminating in their Sense of Smell?Armpit EffectChemical CommunicationScent DiscriminationUltimate CausationGenetic DifferencesWestern Terrestrial Garter Snake Thamnophis elegansSlide 39Western Terrestrial Garter Snake PopulationsGarter Snake Prey Preference ExperimentGarter Snake populations exhibit Prey PreferenceSlide 43Slide 44The Tadpole vs Slug Taste TestTongue Flicking in SnakesSlide 47Vomeronasal OrganSlide 49How Could Prey Preference Variation Occurred?Genetic DifferencesSingle Gene Effect on Behavior DevelopmentKnockout ExperimentsSlide 54Developmental HomeostasisDevelopmental Homeostasis Mediates Suboptimal EnvironmentsDevelopmental Homeostasis Mediates Effects of MutationsWhy is Symmetry so Important?Adaptive Value of LearningCost- Benefit Analysis of BehaviorCost- Benefit AnalysisSex Differences in Learning BehaviorVole EcologyVole TortureCost-Benefit AnalysisMammalian HippocampusVole HippocampusNot so fast!Reproduction Requires Lots of Energy (reproductive effort)Don’t Put All of Your Eggs in One Basket!Female Cowbird EcologyMale Cowbird EcologySex Differences in Learning Behavior- Variation in male and female ecology result in different cost-benefit analysis formulas between sexesOperant ConditioningSkinner BoxNegative ReinforcementSlide 77SourcesBehavior Development bLearning•Learning is a change in an animal’s behavior linked to a particular experience it has•Brain properties change by gene and environmental interactionsLearning•Forms of learning–Imprinting–Specialized learning•Variation in learning behavior–Environmental influencesImprinting•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OynlzqtxmY•Why would this behavior be adaptive?Imprinting•Occurs when a young animal’s early social interactions lead to learning•Functions –Recognition of parents in animals with preccocial young (ex geese)–Recognition of an appropriate sexual partner•Dependence of recognition on recognition•Young animal must see model to recognize it•Learning is flexible- model does not need to look like parent or even same speciesKonrad Lorenz•Imprinting in Greylag Geese•Imprint on humans•Later preferred Humans as mates•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UIU9XH-mUI•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SK65euK1FGUGreat Tits & Blue TitsImprinting has different effects among speciesImprinting has Different Effects Among Species•When cross imprinted•Some individuals became imprinted on opposite species •None of the Great Tits mated with a member of it’s own species–Formed a mate preference based on imprinted foster parent•Most of Blue Tits mated within it’s own species–Exhibited a different developmental interactionSpecialized Learning•Memory formation to aid in finding foodClark’s NutcrackerClark’s Nutcracker•Whack cones of Whitebark pine–Also eats limber pine seeds•Seed pouch under tongue•Distribute seeds in Caches–Cache more than they will retrieve•Hides up to 38,000 of seeds per season•Up to 5,000 separate caches•Up to 20 miles away–Buries seeds in fall downslope– In winter will retrieveClark’s NutcrackerClark’s Nutcracker•Nutcrackers able to relocate caches with up to 80% accuracy•Recall memory for months•Use landmarks to relocate cachesNutcracker torture!White Bark PineSeeds germinate in clustersUn-retrieved caches create new standsLearning varies among members of the same species•Chickadees in Alaska require fewer inspections to locate food stores that the same species in Colorado•What causes variation among individuals?Factors that Influence the Development of Learned Behavior•Environmental•GeneticEnvironmental Differences•Individuals can learn based on their interactions as young•Interactions with siblings can shape behavior•Kin recognition–Used to identify closely related individuals from potential rivals•Cues such as olfaction & sight can be used as recognition cuesPolistes Paper Wasps•Paper wasps use both olfactory cues to recognize individuals from the same nest•Females are also able to recognize facial markings–Individuals with altered face markings were attacked more frequentlyBelding’s Ground SquirrelsBelding’s Ground SquirrelsBelding’s Ground Squirrels•Lives in subalpine and alpine communities–Meadows•Social ground squirrel–Females remain, males disperse–Closely related females help raise and protect each others offspring•Prey species lifestyle–Aerial predators such as hawks–Ground predators such as weasels–Colonial living aids in protectionKin Recognition•Kin recognition critical–Helps identify closely related for assistance–Ability to recognize intruders –Prevents inbreeding•Strong selection pressure favoring genes that code for recognition behaviorsKin Recognition•Signals used to identify kin include•Scent•AppearanceGround Squirrel Musical Chairs•Newborn Ground squirrels were moved from their nests into 4 groups•Siblings reared apart•Siblings reared together•Non-siblings raised apart•Non-siblings raised togetherBelding’s Ground Squirrel Torture!•After raised in their respective groups ground squirrels were placed in an arena to test their ability to recognize each other•Recognition was measure using levels of aggression•Aggression indicates less kin recognitionWhat would you predict?•Siblings reared apart•Siblings reared together•Non-siblings raised apart•Non-siblings raised togetherIndividuals learn based on their olfactory interactions as young•Ground squirrels raised together learned each others smell and were less aggressive towards each other–Independent of whether they were siblings•Ground squirrels raised separately tended to be more aggressive toward each otherHave we met?•Biological sisters raised apart had fewer