Interested in NEUROSCIENCE?

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Interested in NEUROSCIENCE?
Then come out to the first meeting of the
Thursday, February 15 at 6pm 229 Natural History
Building
Learn about volunteer activities, speakers and
lectures, grad and med school, research
opportunities, and much, much more!FREE
PIZZA! Interested, but cant make it? Contact
neuroscienceclub_at_gmail.com to sign up for our
email list!
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Announcements
Exam 1, this Wednesday, 14-Feb. If you last
name begins with A L 116 RAL (right here) If
you last name begins with M Z 151 EVRT
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• Bring 2 pencil
• Photo ID
• Student ID
• NetID (usually 1st part of e-mail)
• Arrive early
• Sit every other seat.
• No cell phones, no hats
• Neighbors will have different exams

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Test Format

• 50 questions, multiple choice T/F
• bonus questions (one short answer)
• 50 minutes

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Test Material

• Any thing from lectures or text book is fair game
• Fact-based questions, concept application

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Assigned Reading
Chapters from Book 1, 2, 3, 5 Understand
examples, terms (usually bolded), and be able to
answer the discussion questions in each chapter
(unless they require additional reading).
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Lecture 2 Foundations

• Animal behavior is about interactions
• History of animal behavior
• ethology ? behaviorism ? interdisciplinary
• Founders their contributions
• Tinbergen, Lorenz, von Frisch, Skinner
• Instincts sign stimuli
• Genetically programmed behavior vs. learned
  behavior

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Lecture 3 Science Methods

• 1) Scientific method depends on TESTING
• hypothesis testing supported, never proven
• 2) Approaches
• theoretical, experimental, comparative
• understand use of control, replication
• 3) Data variation
• statistics, accuracy vs. precision, qualitative
  vs. quantitative (categorical)
• 4) Theory vs. law, evolution
• 5) Limitations of science

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Lecture 4 Evolution

• Definitions
• diversity, population, gene, taxonomy,
  evolution, speciation, natural selection,
  coevolution
• 2) Mechanisms of evolution
• mutation, drift, migration, selection
• 3) 3 requirements for evolution by natural
  selection
• 4) Examples of evolution in action
• pepper moths, herbicide antibiotic resistance
• 5) Group selection
• its limitations, and when it can occur
• 6) Adaptationist vs. Nonadaptationist
  explanations for behavior

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Additional material from textbook Make sure you
understand the example with voles (Chap 1, page
4-8) under the heading Understanding Monogamy
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Lecture 5 Proximate Ultimate

• Proximate Ultimate questions
• Gene x Environment interactions
• Song learning Proximate
• Developmental environment (auditory social)
• Physiological neural circuitry, hormones
• Song learning Ultimate
• Attract mates, hold territories
• Probably evolved 3 times independently
• Evolves to suit ecological environment

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What is the differences between Proximate and
Ultimate questions? What is the distinction
between Proximate and Ultimate causes?
Proximate questions - how mechanisms responsible
for interactions processes, mechanisms, nuts
and bolts Ultimate questions - why how these
interactions influence an individual's survival
and reproduction. evolutionary reasons, fitness
consequences
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Tinbergens 4 questions
Proximate causation sensory motor mechanisms
Ontogeny interaction between genes and
environment to shape behavior
(development) Ultimate Causation selective
processes that shape behavior (function) Phylogen
y historical processes that shape behavior
(constraints)
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Additional material from textbook Chapter 2
You do not have to memorize the names (or
acronyms) for the neural components of the brian.
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Lecture 6 Genetics I

1. Gene x Environment interactions
2. Classical vs.Operant conditioning
3. Innate behaviors, fixed action patterns.
4. Methods to quantify genetic component of behavior
   (including modern methods)
5. Know coefficients of relatedness between
   relatives.
6. Understand why it may be difficult to identify
   genes for behavior.

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Lecture 7 Genetics II

• 1) Two ways that genetic variation (sequence vs.
  expression) can influence behavior.
• 2) Understand how microarrays work.
• 3) Understand basic principles behind division of
  labor in honey bees (types of behavior, ontogeny
  of behavior).

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Additional material from textbook You do not
have to memorize the names of specific genes and
their effects.
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Lecture 8 Hormones

• Know What hormones are. Where are they made?
  What do they do?
• Modes of hormone action
• Organizational vs activational effects.
• Hormones influence on behavior
• Sexual behavior
• Other behaviors
• Understand that hormonal mechanisms are often
  conserved among species but can also differ among
  species.

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Additional material from textbook Make sure you
understand proximate and ultimate mechanisms for
temporal variation in behavior (Chap 5, page
148-160) under the heading Behavioral Schedules
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Lecture 9 Development

• 1) Understand the proximate and ultimate reasons
  for developmental flexibility and developmental
  homeostasis.
• 2) Know the different mechanisms of kin
  discrimination.
• 3) Understand fluctuating asymmetry and its
  causes.

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What is the difference between developmental
homeostasis and flexibility? What evidence
exists to prove these two things? What are their
benefits?
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Developmental flexibility a change in the
development production of a behavior based on
variation in environment. Examples learned
behaviors, hormonal effects on behaviors, just
about everything except behavioral differences
due entirely to genetic differences! Proximate
reason It occurs as a result of genotype by
environment interactions on developing traits.
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trait (phenotype)
environmental variation
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trait (phenotype)
environmental variation
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trait (phenotype)
environmental variation
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trait (phenotype)
environmental variation
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Why does developmental flexibility
exist? Ultimate reason Flexibility can account
for important, but variable environmental
conditions, leading to increased fitness under
different conditions.
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Anolis lizards morphology of hind legs changes
when raised on large trunks or small branches.
Fitness benefits lizards faster when limb
length matches branch width. (escape, prey
capture)
trait hind limb length
env. var. branch width
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Normal vs. cannibal forms in tiger salamanders
Individuals can develop as normal predatory
larvae or switch over to a cannibal form. Switch
to cannibalism affected by Population
density Size differences Drying of water
source Genetic relatedness to others
Fitness benefits cannibals have more prey, grow
faster (cost spread disease, more conspicuous
to predators).
Prop. cannibals
density or drying rate
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Developmental homeostasis Development of
specific behaviors despite variation in
environment This category includes, but is not
limited to innate behaviors Proximate reason
Developmental process not influenced by
environmental variation.
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Why does developmental homeostasis
exist? Ultimate Reason Homeostasis reduces the
chance of devastating developmental errors due to
environmental deficits/changes. For example,
regardless of environmental conditions, tadpoles
still need to metamorphose into frogs.
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Lecture 10 Recognition

• 1) Know the different types of recognition
  systems (what they do).
• 2) Know how they work.
• 3) Understand the components of recognition
  systems.
• 4) Understand Optimal Threshold Models for
  recognition.

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Lecture 11 Coevolution

• Coevolution The occurrence of genetically
  determined traits in two or more species selected
  by the mutual interactions controlled by these
  traits.
• Species interactions where coevolution is likely
  to occur Predation, Competition, Mutualisms and
  Mating (hybridization)
• Character displacement when the expression of a
  character (i.e., behavior) changes when species
  occur together (sympatry) due to competition or
  reproductive isolation.

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Co-evolution in Mating

• Optimal threshold model what can be modified to
  avoid hybridization?
• Call modification vs. call perception (signaler
  vs. receiver)
• The developmental plasticity of a trait can in
  fact be considered a trait in its own right.

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• Arms races constrained
• Red Queen Effect running in place
• Pred/Prey and Parasite/Host sensory tuning and
  mimicry of cues
• Mutualisms
• Obligate vs. facultative
• Trophic, Dispersive, Defensive
• Mutualisms as major stepping stones in evolution
• Evidence for co-evolution (demonstrate genetic
  changes invoked by species interactions)