Animal Behavior, Fall, 2000
Bi 376, Hour Exam III
Instructions:
1) After receiving the exam, you are free to work on the answers in any classroom in Boyd Hall.
2) You may not use any information other than what you have stored in your brain (no notes, books, etc.)
3) Please limit your answers to the space provided beneath each answer. Feel free to use labeled diagrams (i.e. - graphs) to enhance your answers. Write clearly and concisely.
4) You have 1.5 hours to complete this examination. Remember that you have agreed not to discuss this examination with anyone else in the class until all have taken it (I will let you know in class).
5) Please sign below if you agree to the above policies.
GOOD LUCK!
Honor Statement: I have read the above instructions and agree to them. I promise to neither give nor receive any help on this examination.
Signed,
Choose 6 out of the following 7 - Short Answer. These questions can be answered in 2-4 sentences or a labeled diagram and 1-2 sentences. @ 10 points
1) The testes of 25 males of a bird species were weighed in each of four seasons. To organize the data, the birds were divided into groups of five based on their social dominance interactions. The five top ranking birds were placed into category 5, the next most dominant were placed into 4, etc. The following table shows testes weight in mgs for the birds in each category and for each season. What general conclusions can you draw from the data?
2) Give two examples that show that reproductive behavior is controlled by the endocrine system in Ring Doves.
3) Pratt and Sackett (1967) raised 3 groups of monkeys with different degrees of contact with their peers. They allowed one group no contact; the second, only auditory and visual contact; the third, normal contact with their peers. Next they allowed animals of the three groups to interact socially; then they gave each individual a 3-choice preferences test where the alternative choices were conspecifics - one from each of the 3 different treatment conditions. The data in the table represent the preferences of the test subjects (values are mean number of seconds spent by a test monkey with each of 3 possible partners. What conclusions can you draw from these data?
4) Cite and explain briefly a specific example that supports the idea that maternal experience affects the behavior of offspring in rats.
5) Although we have discussed how communication operates in several discrete sensory channels, most displays involve more than one channel. Discuss briefly at least two examples in which two or more channels are used. Why have such multi-media displays evolved?
6) Support or refute the following statement: Some species of birds can discriminate (recognize) individuals of their own species.
7) What are the advantages and disadvantages of migration for organisms of different species?
8) Recent Studies support the hypothesis that birds can use geomagnetic cues for orientation. Data from Baker (1980) suggest that the same may be true for humans. The following are hypothetical data collected from a study similar to Baker's. Individuals were blindfolded, driven 10 Km from home and released one by one (just like homing pigeons). The initial orientation bearing for these individuals at two different sites (A and B) is recorded here (each dot represents the initial bearing from one individual). 15 people were tested at each site. What conclusions can you draw about geomagnetic cues and orientation in humans?
Choose 2 out of the following 3: - Essay Questions: Answer the following questions in essay format (a paragraph or two with topic sentences followed by information supporting the topic sentence. Labeled figures or graphs are encouraged but be sure to explain these with text. You can also use the front and back side of the sheets of paper. @ 15 points
1) In your experiments with a new species of crustacean, Boston redsoxii, you have discovered that molting of the exoskeleton occurs when the theme of "Take me out to the ballgame(TMOTTBG)" is played. Based on your library research (you searched First Search BasicBIOSIS and then BIOSIS) and then went to UNH to get the papers), you suspect that the corpora allata and its primary hormone bambinocurse is involved. Explain the experiments that you would conduct (at least four) to show that this gland and hormone product is involved in this behavioral response.
2) There are at least two ways in which birds could learn to sing their species specific courtship songs: a) They could practice until there song matched an internal neural template or b) they could learn the songs from conspecifics in the environment. What do the studies of marsh wrens (Kroodsma), swamp sparrows (Marler), white-crowned sparrows, and cowbirds suggest is more important, a) or b) above?
3) Many species of birds migrate many hundreds of miles each fall and spring. a) Describe at least five of the different types of cues that birds might use to navigate while migrating and b) provide specific evidence that show that birds use these cues to navigate.