Concept explainers
To determine:
How a person hypothesize the altruistic behaviour of sentries.
Introduction:
Altruism is an animal behaviour that benefits other organism at its own cost. The altruism of an individual will be selected by nature as its sacrificing behaviour will lead to an increase in the propagation of its own alleles through kin selection. But altruism is favored only when the benefit gained from the altruistic behaviour is more than the fitness cost of the animal showing altruism.
Explanation of Solution
Meerkats are small carnivores animals which belong to mongoose family. These animals live in groups of around 30-40 members. Meerkats eat bird’s egg and small insects. These animals live and burrow under the ground.
Meerkats also show an altruistic behaviour. An animal uses altruistic behaviour, to protect the member of its own species. This type of behaviour also called as selfless behaviour because the some member of species produces an alarm to protect the other member of the same species. Some of the members of meerkats show this type of altruistic or selfless behaviour for the benefit or protection of another member from predators.
In the 30-40 groups of meerkats, some member behaves as sentries. Sentries are a type of guard which keep monitoring the area where other members of meerkats are searching for prey or food. If the sentries spot any predators, they produce an alarm by barking to alert their members.
These sentries are involved in altruistic behaviour. The sentries function as guard and keep monitoring the place while the other member of the species keeps on searching for the food. Also, these sentries are first to come out from the burrow and check the presence of predators. This function of sentries shows selfless behaviour for the well being of another member of the family.
Altruism is a sacrificing behaviour shown by an animal at own cost to provide benefits to its own kin to increase the reproductive success.
Want to see more full solutions like this?
Chapter 43 Solutions
BIOLOGY WITH PROCTORIO PLUS CONNECT
- How is a protein destined for the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER), imported into the ER? Be concise.arrow_forwardFind out about the organisations and the movements aimed at the conservation of our natural resources. Eg Chipko movement and Greenpeace. Make a project report on such an organisation.arrow_forwardWhat are biofertilizers and mention the significancearrow_forward
- PCBs and River Otters: Otters in Washington State’s Green-Duwamish River have high levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in their livers. PCBs can bind to the estrogen receptors in animals and disrupt the endocrine system of these otters. The PCBs seem to increase the estrogen to androgen ratio, skewing the ratio toward too much estrogen. How would increased estrogen affect the river otter population? Based on your reading of the materials in this unit, what factors can affect fertility in humans? Explain how each of the factors affecting human fertility that you described can disrupt the human endocrine system to affect reproduction.arrow_forwardOther than oil and alcohol, are there other liquids you could compare to water (that are liquid at room temperature)? How is water unique compared to these other liquids? What follow-up experiment would you like to do, and how would you relate it to your life?arrow_forwardSelection of Traits What adaptations do scavengers have for locating and feeding on prey? What adaptations do predators have for capturing and consuming prey?arrow_forward
- Competition Between Species What natural processes limit populations from growing too large? What are some resources organisms can compete over in their natural habitat?arrow_forwardSpecies Interactions Explain how predators, prey and scavengers interact. Explain whether predators and scavengers are necessary or beneficial for an ecosystem.arrow_forwardmagine that you are conducting research on fruit type and seed dispersal. You submitted a paper to a peer-reviewed journal that addresses the factors that impact fruit type and seed dispersal mechanisms in plants of Central America. The editor of the journal communicates that your paper may be published if you make ‘minor revisions’ to the document. Describe two characteristics that you would expect in seeds that are dispersed by the wind. Contrast this with what you would expect for seeds that are gathered, buried or eaten by animals, and explain why they are different. (Editor’s note: Providing this information in your discussion will help readers to consider the significance of the research).arrow_forward
- Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)BiologyISBN:9780134580999Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. HoehnPublisher:PEARSONBiology 2eBiologyISBN:9781947172517Author:Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi, Mary Ann ClarkPublisher:OpenStaxAnatomy & PhysiologyBiologyISBN:9781259398629Author:McKinley, Michael P., O'loughlin, Valerie Dean, Bidle, Theresa StouterPublisher:Mcgraw Hill Education,
- Molecular Biology of the Cell (Sixth Edition)BiologyISBN:9780815344322Author:Bruce Alberts, Alexander D. Johnson, Julian Lewis, David Morgan, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter WalterPublisher:W. W. Norton & CompanyLaboratory Manual For Human Anatomy & PhysiologyBiologyISBN:9781260159363Author:Martin, Terry R., Prentice-craver, CynthiaPublisher:McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.Inquiry Into Life (16th Edition)BiologyISBN:9781260231700Author:Sylvia S. Mader, Michael WindelspechtPublisher:McGraw Hill Education