BIO 1301 Week 3 Assignment Help

BIO 1301 Week 3 Assignment Help | Cabrillo College

Assignment: Animal Behavior Observation 2

This animal behavior observation and research will be similar to the first one, but more detailed.  This time rather than observing for 30 minutes, please observe 7-10 ACTIVE behaviors.  As a result, you can break up your observations into different time periods when your study subject is active. We will do regular observations this semester to apply different concepts we are learning in class.  This assignment isn't due until 2/22 and is worth 15 points, so please put the time in to complete it.  

Please choose a different animal species than your previous observation.  This may be a good time to use the Live Web Cams at Explore.org .  There is also a lot of interesting bird activity starting with territory disputes and mating behaviors in preparation for nesting.  

Part 1:  Ethogram

This week, construct an ethogram using the feedback given during the Week 1 assignment, and this week's lecture.  

Please make a table with:

-A title that includes the common and Latin name of your species

-First column- behavior you observed only

-Second column- description of the behavior based on observations only, careful of anthropomorphism!

-Please include a log of the times you took observations as a list below your table, not part of the table.

-Include a photo of the animal you observed.  

Part 2:  Hypothesis

Please pick one of the behaviors listed in your ethogram that you would like to study.  Make a hypothesis for how this behavior develops, what causes the behavior, or how the behavior evolved.  Make your hypothesis an explicit statement (see this week’s lecture). 

Hypothesis:_________________________________

Part 3: Tinbergen's 4 questions: 

Please RESEARCH the causes for the behavior you studied in Part 2 using Tinbergen’s questions.  Please include 2-4 sentences or bullet points for each question and include your research as hyperlinks or in a Works Cited list at the end of your research. 

Proximate causes for behavior:

1.      What causes the behavior? What is the stimulus, or trigger, for the behavior? What structures and functions of the animal are involved in the behavior?

2.      How does the behavior develop? Is it present early in life? Or does it appear only as the animal matures? Are certain experiences needed for the behavior to develop?

Ultimate causes for behavior:

3. Why did the behavior evolve? How does the behavior affect the fitness of the animal performing it? How does it affect the survival of the species?

4. How did the behavior evolve? How does it compare with similar behaviors in related species? In what ancestor did the behavior first appear?