Bibliographic Information

Alternatives

edited by P. P. G. Bateson and Peter H. Klopfer

(Perspectives in ethology / edited by P.P.G. Bateson and Peter H. Klopfer, vol. 7)

Plenum Press, c1987

Available at  / 6 libraries

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Includes bibliographies and index

Description and Table of Contents

Description

This volume is subtitled "Alternatives" because we wanted to devote at least a part of it to the alternative ways in which members of the same species behave in a given situation. Not so very long ago the supposition among many ethologists was that if one animal behaved in a particular way, then all other members of the same age and sex would do the same. Any differences in the ethogram between individuals were to be attributed to "normal biological variation. " Such thinking is less common nowadays after the discovery of dramatic differences between members of the same species which are of the same age and sex. Alternative modes of behavior, though now familiar, raise particularly interesting questions about current function, evolutionary history, and mechanism. Do the differences rep- resent equally satisfactory solutions to a given problem? Are some of the solutions the best that those animals can do, given their body size and general condition? Is an alternative solution adopted because so many other individuals have taken the first? If so, do the frequencies reached at equilibrium depend on differential survival of genetically distinct types or do they result from decisions taken by individual animals? If the alternatives are induced during development, as are the castes of social insects, what is required for such triggering? The questions about alternative ways of behaving are addressed in some of the chapters in this volume.

Table of Contents

1 Pattern and Adaptation in Individual Behavioral Differences.- I. Abstract.- II. Introduction.- III. Semantic Issues.- IV. The Occurrence and Form of Individuality.- A. Social Behavior.- B. Foraging Behavior.- C. Advantages and Disadvantages of Being Different.- V. Adaptation and the Process of Differentiation.- A. Introduction.- B. Stages and Shifting Characteristics.- C. Covert Differences and Threshold Effects.- VI. Acknowledgments.- VII. References.- 2 Alternative Reproductive Tactics in Birds: Individual Variation in Clutch Size.- I. Abstract.- II. Introduction.- A. Individual Variation in Clutch Size.- B. Clutch Size: Proximal Influences.- III. Hypotheses to Account for Clutch Size Variation.- IV. Evaluation of the Evidence.- A. The Individual Optimization Hypothesis.- B. The Tradeoff Hypothesis.- C. The Fluctuating Selection Pressures Hypothesis.- V. Conclusions Regarding the Three Hypotheses.- VI. Discussion.- A. Why Should Selection Pressures Fluctuate?.- B. Implications: Life in a Fluctuating Environment.- VII. Acknowledgments.- VIII. References.- 3 Critique of Helping Behavior in Birds: A Departure from Functional Explanations.- I. Abstract.- II. Introduction.- III. Criticisms and Alternatives.- A. How Is Helping Behavior Perceived?.- B. Control of Provisioning Behavior.- C. In What Contexts Is Provisioning Behavior Observed?.- D. Provisioning Behavior in Communal Breeders.- E. Development and Evolution of Communal Breeding.- F. How Is Provisioning Behavior Maintained in Communal Breeders?.- IV. Discussion.- V. Acknowledgments.- VI. References.- 4 On the Evolution of Density-Regulating Behavior.- I. Abstract.- II. Introduction.- A. The Controversy over Group Selection.- B. Individual Selection and Individual Preferences.- III. The Haystack Model.- IV. Breeding Site Limitation.- V. Habitat Selection in the Nonbreeding Season.- A. Random Assignment.- B. Ideal Avoidance.- C. Ideal Assessment.- D. Ideal Dominance.- E. The Assessment Dominance Distribution (ADD).- VI. Population Dynamics.- A. Density Dependence in Two Seasons.- B. Nest Site Selection and Geographic Range.- VII. Discussion of Model Assumptions.- VIII. Wynne Edwards Theory Reconsidered.- IX. Acknowledgment.- X. References.- 5 The Evolutionary Dynamics of Mixed Mating Systems: On the Adaptive Value of Selfing and Biparental Inbreeding.- I. Abstract.- II. Introduction.- III. Determination of the Adaptive Value of Selfing.- A. Response of Characters Correlated with Selection.- B. Modification to Accommodate the Evolution of Transmission.- C. Inbreeding Depression and Reproductive Mode of Origin As Determinants of Tradeoffs in Offspring Number.- D. The Effect of Uniparental and Biparental Inbreeding on the Selective Advantage of Selfing.- IV. Three Regular Systems of Biparental Inbreeding.- A. Regular Systems of Inbreeding.- B. The Effect of Prior Inbreeding on the Condition Permitting the Increase of Selfing under Negligible Inbreeding Depression.- C. The Effect of Biparental Inbreeding on the Adaptive Value of Selfing in the Presence of Significant Inbreeding Depression.- D. A Summary of the Qualitative Effects of Biparental Inbreeding on the Evolution of Selfing.- V. Discussion.- A. Toward a Predictive Theory of Mating System Dynamics.- B. Genetic Variation in Reproductive Mode.- C. The Resemblance between Parents and Their Offspring.- D. Empirical Estimates of Tradeoffs in Offspring Number.- E. Long-Term and Short-Term Effects of Selfing on Progeny Variance.- F. The Effect of Selfing on Male Success.- G. Implications of Biparental Inbreeding for the Adaptive Value of Selfing.- H. Consequences of Environmentally Imposed Shifts in the Breeding System.- I. Summary.- VI. Appendix A.- VII. Appendix B.- VIII. Appendix C.- IX. Acknowledgments.- X. References.- 6 The Experience of Experience: An Exogenetic Program for Social Competence.- I. Abstract.- II. Introduction: The Bird of Paradox.- III. Methods of Inquiry: Functional Metrics of Communication.- IV. Male Inheritance: An Embarassment of Riches?.- V. Female Cowbirds: Like Mother, Like Daughter.- VI. Male Modifiability: Behind Closed Doors.- VII. The Female: A Connoisseur of Fine Song.- VIII. Population Comparisons: The Perspective from the Prairie.- IX. General Perspectives: Exogenetic Programs for Development.- X. A Final Perspective: The Cowbird's Place in Nature's Gallery.- XI. Acknowledgments.- XII. References.- 7 A Comparative-Developmental Approach to Understanding Imitation.- I. Abstract.- II. Introduction.- III. Baldwin, Morgan, Guillaume, and Piaget on Imitation.- A. James Mark Baldwin.- B. Conwy Lloyd Morgan.- C. Paul Guillaume.- D. Jean Piaget.- E. Similarities and Differences.- IV. The Definition of "Imitation".- V. The Levels of Imitation.- A. First-Level Imitation.- B. Second-Level Imitation.- C. Third-Level Imitation.- D. Fourth-Level Imitation.- E. Fifth-Level Imitation.- F. Clarifications.- VI. Conclusion.- VII. Acknowledgments.- VIII. References.- 8 The Dynamics of Group Behavior.- I. Abstract.- II. Introduction.- A. What Is Group Behavior?.- B. Why Study Group Behavior?.- III. Investigating Group Behavior: An Example of the Approach.- A. The Daily Round As a Unit of Group Behavior.- B. The Individual in Group Context.- C. Dynamics of Group Behavior.- IV. Extending the Approach.- V. Acknowledgments.- VI. References.- 9 Artificial Design in Natural History: Why it's so Easy to Understand Animal Behavior.- I. Abstract.- II. Introduction: The Design Argument in Natural Theology.- III. Natural Selection As a Designer.- IV. Artificial Design: Synthesis and Analysis.- V. Apparent Design in Behavior: Optimal Foraging Theory.- VI. Conclusion.- VII. Acknowledgments.- VIII. References.- 10 The Misappropriation of Teleonomy.- I. Abstract.- II. Introduction.- III. Teleonomy As an Antidote to Circular Reasoning.- IV. Psychology and the Concept of Objective Teleology.- A. Tolman's Purposive Behaviorism.- B. Hofstadter's Objective Teleology.- V. Biological Interpreters of Teleonomy.- A. Huxley and the Openbill's Open Bill.- B. Mayr and Determination by a Program.- C. George Williams's Natural Selection and Adaptation.- D. Curio's Teleonomic Methodology.- E. Pittendrigh, Reprise.- F. Conclusion: The Biological Interpreters.- VI. The Appropriate Use for "Teleonomy".- VII. Acknowledgments.- VIII. References.

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Related Books: 1-1 of 1

  • Perspectives in ethology

    edited by P.P.G. Bateson and Peter H. Klopfer

    Plenum Press 1973-

    v. 1 , v. 2 , v. 3 , v. 4 , v. 5 , v. 6 , v. 7 , v. 8

    Available at 46 libraries

Details

  • NCID
    BA0113536X
  • ISBN
    • 0306424290
  • Country Code
    us
  • Title Language Code
    eng
  • Text Language Code
    eng
  • Place of Publication
    New York
  • Pages/Volumes
    xv, 281 p.
  • Size
    24 cm
  • Classification
  • Subject Headings
  • Parent Bibliography ID
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