The Report • Goal: • Choose 1 behaviour from your observations and describe the animal's decision-making process concerning that behaviour • Questions: • How much time/effort is spent on the focal behaviour relative to other behaviours (time allocated, intensity, etc.)? • Did the behaviour change under certain environmental contexts? The Report • Discuss the adaptive value: How does the focal behaviour impact fitness of the animal? What are the costs/benefits of the behaviour under different environmental contexts? • Is the animal's decision-making optimal with regards to costs/benefits? Relate back to questions on previous slide Data Collection ● Observation periods: 4 separate days • 1-2 hours total • Choose an animal species: • NO pets • Same species (different individuals are okay) Something with an observable behaviour Standardize: Conduct observations on days with decent/similar weather conditions Animals will act differently under different environmental conditions! Data Collection: Behaviour Log • Date • Time • Weather conditions • Location • Species name (to the best of your ability) • ● Environmental context: • Habitat/surroundings Changes that occur during the survey Log of behavioural activity: • Note all behaviours (eating, scanning area, making sounds, interactions with other animals, etc.) Record approximate duration of each behaviour (2min foraging, 20sec scanning area, etc.) • Take photos/video if you can! Data Collection: Behaviour Log (example) Species: Sciurus carolinensis (Eastern grey squirrel, black morph) Date: Day 1 - Oct 1st 2022 Start Time: 4:02pm End Time: 4:33pm Location: My front lawn, Shawville, Quebec (grassy yard with single mature maple tree) Weather: ~12°C, partially sunny Behavioural Observations: 4:02pm squirrel climbs down from tree, pausing on trunk to observe area 4:03pm begins foraging (sniffing) ground; pauses after every minute (or so) to scan surroundings (a few seconds) before resuming 4:10pm finds food item, places it in mouth and runs to a new location, sniffing on ground in several locations before burying it 4:13pm resumes foraging

The Report • Goal: • Choose 1 behaviour from your observations and describe the animal's decision-making process concerning that behaviour • Questions: • How much time/effort is spent on the focal behaviour relative to other behaviours (time allocated, intensity, etc.)? • Did the behaviour change under certain environmental contexts? The Report • Discuss the adaptive value: How does the focal behaviour impact fitness of the animal? What are the costs/benefits of the behaviour under different environmental contexts? • Is the animal's decision-making optimal with regards to costs/benefits? Relate back to questions on previous slide Data Collection ● Observation periods: 4 separate days • 1-2 hours total • Choose an animal species: • NO pets • Same species (different individuals are okay) Something with an observable behaviour Standardize: Conduct observations on days with decent/similar weather conditions Animals will act differently under different environmental conditions! Data Collection: Behaviour Log • Date • Time • Weather conditions • Location • Species name (to the best of your ability) • ● Environmental context: • Habitat/surroundings Changes that occur during the survey Log of behavioural activity: • Note all behaviours (eating, scanning area, making sounds, interactions with other animals, etc.) Record approximate duration of each behaviour (2min foraging, 20sec scanning area, etc.) • Take photos/video if you can! Data Collection: Behaviour Log (example) Species: Sciurus carolinensis (Eastern grey squirrel, black morph) Date: Day 1 - Oct 1st 2022 Start Time: 4:02pm End Time: 4:33pm Location: My front lawn, Shawville, Quebec (grassy yard with single mature maple tree) Weather: ~12°C, partially sunny Behavioural Observations: 4:02pm squirrel climbs down from tree, pausing on trunk to observe area 4:03pm begins foraging (sniffing) ground; pauses after every minute (or so) to scan surroundings (a few seconds) before resuming 4:10pm finds food item, places it in mouth and runs to a new location, sniffing on ground in several locations before burying it 4:13pm resumes foraging

Biology Today and Tomorrow without Physiology (MindTap Course List)

5th Edition

ISBN:9781305117396

Author:Cecie Starr, Christine Evers, Lisa Starr

Publisher:Cecie Starr, Christine Evers, Lisa Starr

Chapter17: Communities And Ecosystems

Section: Chapter Questions

Problem 3SQ

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Related questions

Question

Note a particular animal behaviour at the Central Experimental Farm in Ottawa, (eg. chickens, cows, horses, sheep) on at least four (4) different occasions, taking note of the animal’s targeting (observed) behaviour, as well as any other competing or associated behaviours that may have an impact on that animal’s decision-making processes while under your observation. Your total observation time over the 4 periods must add up to at least 2 hours of data.

Keep a log of these observations and also do a 1-page report attempting to describe the adaptive value of the behaviour that you observed.

For clarification, the adaptive value is a measure of the evolutionary impacts of a behaviour, i.e. the ultimate function of a behaviour (what purpose it serves) in order to maximize fitness (survival and/or reproduction).

IMPORTANT
Should include:
1) Field notes
2) 1-page report on adaptive value

Data gathering and note collection

Ensure that notes are well organized and clear. A strong focus on the adaptive value, while keeping track of other events and behaviours. Good record keeping of dates, times and conditions.

Report on the adaptive value of the behaviour

Ensure that there is a great job done at describing how the behaviour impacts the fitness of the animal. There is discussion of competing factors, such as conspecific/heterospecific animals, meterological conditions etc. The text is well-written.

The Report
• Goal:
• Choose 1 behaviour from your observations and describe
the animal's decision-making process concerning that
behaviour
• Questions:
• How much time/effort is spent on the focal behaviour relative to
other behaviours (time allocated, intensity, etc.)?
• Did the behaviour change under certain environmental contexts?
The Report
•
Discuss the adaptive value:
How does the focal behaviour impact fitness of the animal?
What are the costs/benefits of the behaviour under different
environmental contexts?
• Is the animal's decision-making optimal with regards to
costs/benefits?
Relate back to questions on previous slide

Data Collection
●
Observation periods:
4 separate days
• 1-2 hours total
•
Choose an animal species:
• NO pets
•
Same species (different individuals are
okay)
Something with an observable
behaviour
Standardize:
Conduct observations on days with
decent/similar weather conditions
Animals will act differently under
different environmental conditions!
Data Collection: Behaviour Log
• Date
• Time
• Weather conditions
• Location
• Species name (to the best of your ability)
•
●
Environmental context:
• Habitat/surroundings
Changes that occur during the survey
Log of behavioural activity:
• Note all behaviours (eating, scanning area, making
sounds, interactions with other animals, etc.)
Record approximate duration of each behaviour (2min
foraging, 20sec scanning area, etc.)
• Take photos/video if you can!
Data Collection: Behaviour Log (example)
Species: Sciurus carolinensis (Eastern grey squirrel, black morph)
Date: Day 1 - Oct 1st 2022
Start Time: 4:02pm
End Time: 4:33pm
Location: My front lawn, Shawville, Quebec (grassy yard with single mature
maple tree)
Weather: ~12°C, partially sunny
Behavioural Observations:
4:02pm squirrel climbs down from tree, pausing on trunk to observe area
4:03pm begins foraging (sniffing) ground; pauses after every minute (or so) to
scan surroundings (a few seconds) before resuming
4:10pm finds food item, places it in mouth and runs to a new location, sniffing
on ground in several locations before burying it
4:13pm resumes foraging

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