Calvin Li
Honors Biology
A Block Mr. Quick
4/14/2014
Lab 4: Animal Behavior
Lab
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Abstract:
This lab allows us to
analyse the behavior of rolly pollies by capturing 10 of them on the school
campus. We took a sample of the population of the species and had to make
conclusions about the behaviors of the species of rolly pollies as a whole
through our knowledge of general animal behavior. There were 2 different data
sets that we collected. We began the lab by capturing 10 roly polies and
putting them into two chambers with weighing paper on top. We then changed
the wetness and acidity of one side of the paper while leaving the other side
as a control (normal weighing paper with nothing extra). We can conclude that
rolly pollies does not really have a preference of wetness of the environment
they live in but they prefer to live in a basic environment.
Introduction:
Question:
Do rolly pollies
prefer a wet or a dry environment? Why?
Do rolly pollies
prefer a normal environment over a basic (ammonia) environment? Why?
Background:
This lab covers main concepts of animal
behavorial ecology and the following are key ideas of knowledge needed for
this lab.
Behavior
is defined as an animal’s sensory response to external stimuli. In short,
behavior is everything that an animal does and how it does it. (Elements of
behavior) Any behavior we can observe by watching an animal
is overt behavior. In insects, this usually includes responses to
external stimuli as well as spontaneous activities that are related to the
animal's internal (physiological) needs. (Elements of Behavior) However,
there are a lot of different behaviors that animals have. In general, overt behavior may be classified as innate,
learned, or complex. Innate behavior is genetically programmed. They
can be:
The most basic unit of
innate behavior is a simple reflex arc. This is a neural pathway that
may involve as few as two neurons:
 a sensory neuron detects a stimulus and is
linked with amotor neuron that sets off a response in
an effector cell (such as a muscle or a gland cell). More commonly,
reflex arcs also include an association neuron spliced between the
sensory and motor neurons. (Elements of
Behavior)
Orientation
Behaviors are
coordinated movements (walking, flying, swimming, etc.) that occur in
response to an external stimulus. These behaviors have adaptive value
for survival by helping the insect locate (or avoid) the source of a
stimulus. Orientation behaviors can be viewed as elements in a neural
hierarchy. The simplest behaviors involve input from only a single
sensory receptor whereas more advanced behaviors require bilateral input from
a pair of receptors. (Elements of Behavior)
Kinesis is a change in
the speed of movement (orthokinesis) or a change in the rate of turning
(klinokinesis) which is directly proportional to the intensity of a
stimulus. Input from only a single sensory receptor is necessary.
A kinesis is non-directed orientation, that is, the animal exhibits a "random
walk". The change in speed or rate of turning increases the
probability of locating the stimulus but does not guarantee it. (Elements of Behavior)
Taxis is a movement directly toward (positive) or away from
(negative) a stimulus. A klinotaxis involves side-to-side motions of
the head or body with successive comparison of stimulus intensity as the
animal moves forward. A tropotaxis requires bilateral input from paired
sensory receptors such that the signal is equalized in both receptors.
Stimulus intensity increases with movement toward the source and decreases
with movement away from the source. (Elements of Behavior)
Fixed Action
Pattern (FAP) is a sequence
of coordinated movements that are performed together as a "unit"
without interruption. Each FAP is triggered by a unique stimulus
variously known as a sign stimulus, a key stimulus, or a releaser.
A praying mantis striking at prey is a typical example. FAPs may
involve a whole-body response and often require a threshold level of internal
readiness (drive). (Elements of Behavior)
Learning can be defined as a persistent
change in behavior that occurs as a result of experience. They can be:
Most overt behavior is neither 100% innate nor 100%
learned. Sometimes innate behaviors may be modified (or modulated)
through practice and experience. These are called complex behaviors as
shown by the scale below.
Imprinting is a special case of programmed learning
that occurs early in life and only within a short time-window known as the
"critical period". During this brief interval, the animal
acquires an indelible memory of certain salient stimuli in its
"home" environment. This memory is retained throughout life
and recalled later when needed. Fruit fly larvae, for example, will
imprint on the taste and smell of their food. If reared on a diet that
contains apple extract (proximate), adult females will show a strong
preference for apples when they eventually search for a place to lay their
own eggs (ultimate). Not just any stimulus will do. Imprinting is
apparently regulated by an innate "neural template" that restricts
what can be remembered. (Elements of
Behavior)
Classical Conditioning is learning to associate one stimulus
with another, unrelated stimulus. Honey bees, for example, learn to
associate floral colors and fragrances with the presence of nectar.
They can be "trained" to collect sugar water from colored dishes on
a feeding table. If a blue dish with pure water sits next to a yellow
dish with sugar water, worker bees will quickly learn to associate
"yellow" with "food". On the other hand operant
conditioning depends on the animal's ability to remember
the outcome of past events and modify future behavior accordingly. Good
consequences (positive feedback) reinforce the behavior and increase its
likelihood of occurrence in the future. Bad consequences (negative
feedback) have the opposite effect. Cockroaches learning to run through
a simple maze to find food is a simple example of instrumental learning
(also known as operant conditioning). (Elements of Behavior)
Proximate Questions: Behavior focus on the environmental
stimuli that trigger a behavior--- How does it know when it is the right time
to sing?
Ultimate Questions: Addresses the evolutionary significance of a behavior---Why does the bird sing?
Hypothesis:
Since rolly pollies
are terrestrial isopods, they should prefer to live in wet environments. And
the rolly pollies should prefer the pH that matches the soil that they live
in the most.
Methodology:
Materials:
2. Weighing paper
3. Roly polies
4. Light
5. Water
6. Data table
Pl Plastic Chambers
Procedure:
1. 1. collect 10 roly polies
2. 2. place them in plastic chamber
3. 3. observe activity
4. 4. Make one side of the chamber control and the
other side wet/ basic
5. 5. Count number of rolly pollies every 30 secs
and record data
6.
Results:
Conclusion:
Our data shows that
rolly pollies prefer to live in wet and basic environments. In both
experiments it is very clear that over time, the amount of rolly pollies
going into the wet and basic chambers slowly grew and that supports our
hypothesis because rolly pollies tend to live in wet soil considering they
are isopods. Which goes on to show that they probably act this way because of
evolution and also their innate characteristics. However, there are still
some sources of errors that we would like to point out, first is the size of
the chamber, and also the source of light may have had an impact. But
regardless, our data shows that they like living in wet and basic
environments.
Citation:
CK-12 Honors Biology
Textbook
Lab Guidelines
Elements of Behavior
Quizlet
Mr Kevin Quick,
Honors Biology Teacher at the Webb Schools (Lectures)
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