Biology 352 Practice exam (click here for answer key)
This practice test is intended to provide you with a sense of how this semester's exams will be organized and presented. It is obviously much shorter than an actual exam, and the questions provided here are not meant to suggest or imply a particular orientation towards subject material (Remember, you are essentially responsible for all materials covered in lectures, labs, discussions and the assigned readings).
A) Questions requiring very short answers (usually a single sentence... maybe two)... these stress term recognition and concept definitions
B) Short answer questions requiring short (usually 1 paragraph) responses that may include calculations or graphs.
C) Short essay questions requiring several paragraphs (1 page) that synthesize course materials and demonstrate understanding of problems solving in animal behavior
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3
1-1) Describe the three basic classes of hormone that can influence animal behavior.
b) Give a real-life example of a behavior that is influenced by one of these three types of hormones:
1-2) Give an example of Classical Conditioning.
b) Is this an example of associative or non-associative learning?
1-3) Describe the four basic elements of a basic nervous system that are required for the adaptive expression of behaviors. Feel free to use a diagram if that would help.
1-4) Every biologist knows that genes make proteins, not behaviors. Is their any evidence that indicates a link between genetic makeup and the expression of specific behaviors? a)
If you answered yes, give a specific example:
1-5 Give two examples of a "social" environmental cue
2 - 1) Students of animal behavior may ask both "ultimate" and "proximate" questions about a specific behavior. What is the primary difference between these two approaches? Support your answer by providing an example of behavior that can be addressed from both perspectives.
2-2) Dawkins discussion of "selfish" genes includes a section on the evolution of displays rather than all-out fighting. Using examples from your readings, explain why natural selection might favor animals to use displays rather than open aggression when contesting for resources. Be sure to consider both the potential costs and benefits of these two alternative strategies.
3 - 1) Field mice maintain small, exclusive-use territories within meadows and shrub land. Females defend small feeding areas from other females. Males defend larger territories (that typically contain several female territories) from which they exclude all other males. Despite their nocturnal habits, both sexes are at high risk from predators such as owls, cats, and weasels. Given what you know about the various means that animals can communicate, how and when do you think these mice signal each other with regard to: a) members of the same sex; and b) members of the opposite sex. Hypothesize both on the sensory modality used for communication, and upon the structure of the signal (duration, locatability, etc). Answer separately for males and females.
3 - 2) It is clear that some behaviors are primarily "learned" while others are primarily "innate" or "instinctual". The expression of these different types of behaviors carry distinct costs and benefits, depending on the environmental context in which they are performed. Below, using example(s) of real animals, describe the various costs and benefits associated with the expression of "learned" and "innate" behaviors. It may be helpful to define a specific environmental context to which behaviors can be deemed "appropriate" or "inappropriate".
3-3) Male fiddler crabs are notable for their one extremely large claw. Males use this claw to fight with other males and to attract prospective mates using a waving display. Claw size, among other attributes, is known to be an important determinant of female choice and male dominance in fights. Males that lose this claw grow a replacement that is identical in form to the original. Replacement claws are, however, lighter and less robust, making them less effective as a fighting weapon. Males with original claws do not differentially fight males with replacement claws, even though they are likely to win. Females show no preference for males with original claws.
In the context of what you have learned in this class, would you consider the behavior of males with replacement claws to be honest or deceitful? Below, justify your answer in as much detail as possible. Hint: a good answer will clearly define what is meant by “honest” and “deceitful” in this particular example and will include a careful consideration of the potential costs and benefits associated with the information being sent and received.