❮ 213Behavioral Ecology and Ethology
IN THIS CHAPTER
Summary:This chapter focuses on the interaction between animals and their
environments (ecology) and introduces you to some of the basic terms used
in behavioral ecology and ethology.Key Ideas
✪Learn the bold-faced terms in this chapter well because they show up
often on the multiple-choice portion of the exam.
✪Types of animal learning: associative learning, fixed-action pattern,
habituation, imprinting, insight learning, observational learning, and
operant conditioning.
✪Three major types of animal movement: kinesis, migration, and taxis.
✪Behavioral patterns/concepts to know: agonistic behaviors, altruistic
behaviors, coefficient of relatedness, dominance hierarchies, foraging,
inclusive fitness, optimal foraging, reciprocal altruism, and territoriality.
✪Types of animal communication: chemical, visual, auditory, and tactile.Introduction
Behavioral ecology and ethology both involve the study of animal behavior. Behavioral
ecologyfocuses on the interaction between animals and their environments, and usually
includes an evolutionary perspective. For example, a behavioral ecologist might ask, “Why
do two bird species that live in the same environment eat two different types of seeds?”
Ethologyis a narrower field, focused particularly on animal behavior and less on ecologi-
cal analysis. Historically, ethology has involved a lot of experimental work, which has given
us insight into the nature of animal minds.CHAPTER
17
KEY IDEACT teacher:
“This chapter has
a lot of multiple-
choice-type
questions in it.
Learn the general
concepts... .”
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