Behavioral Biology (Ethology)

  1. Ultimate Causes of Behavior: Reproduction and Sociality
    1. Communication
      1. Signals and Information
        1. Definition of Signals
          1. Signal-Receiver Dynamics
            1. Information Content
              1. Signal Efficacy
              2. Modes of Communication
                1. Visual Signals
                  1. Coloration and Displays
                    1. Bioluminescence
                      1. Body Postures
                        1. Facial Expressions
                        2. Auditory Signals
                          1. Vocalizations
                            1. Non-vocal Sounds
                              1. Acoustic Properties
                                1. Sound Localization
                                2. Chemical Signals
                                  1. Pheromones
                                    1. Scent Marking
                                      1. Chemical Trails
                                        1. Primer vs. Releaser Pheromones
                                        2. Tactile Signals
                                          1. Touch and Vibrations
                                            1. Grooming Behaviors
                                              1. Substrate Vibrations
                                              2. Electrical Signals
                                                1. Electric Organ Discharges
                                                  1. Electroreception
                                                2. Evolution of Signals
                                                  1. Ritualization
                                                    1. Evolution of Display Behaviors
                                                      1. Intention Movements
                                                      2. Sensory Exploitation
                                                        1. Pre-existing Sensory Biases
                                                          1. Sensory Drive
                                                        2. Honesty and Deception in Communication
                                                          1. Signal Reliability
                                                            1. Handicap Principle
                                                              1. Deceptive Signaling
                                                                1. Costs of Dishonesty
                                                                  1. Signal Detection Theory
                                                                2. Mating Behavior and Sexual Selection
                                                                  1. Sexual Selection Theory
                                                                    1. Darwin's Theory of Sexual Selection
                                                                      1. Anisogamy
                                                                        1. Gamete Size Differences
                                                                          1. Parental Investment Theory
                                                                          2. Bateman's Principle
                                                                            1. Variance in Reproductive Success
                                                                              1. Operational Sex Ratio
                                                                            2. Intrasexual Selection (Male-Male Competition)
                                                                              1. Direct Combat
                                                                                1. Weaponry and Displays
                                                                                  1. Contest Competition
                                                                                  2. Sperm Competition
                                                                                    1. Mate Guarding
                                                                                      1. Sperm Removal
                                                                                        1. Sperm Precedence
                                                                                        2. Infanticide
                                                                                          1. Adaptive Value
                                                                                            1. Counter-strategies
                                                                                            2. Alternative Mating Strategies
                                                                                              1. Sneaker Males
                                                                                                1. Satellite Males
                                                                                              2. Intersexual Selection (Female Choice)
                                                                                                1. Direct Benefits
                                                                                                  1. Resources and Territory
                                                                                                    1. Parental Care
                                                                                                      1. Nuptial Gifts
                                                                                                      2. Indirect (Genetic) Benefits
                                                                                                        1. Good Genes Hypothesis
                                                                                                          1. Handicap Principle
                                                                                                            1. Fisherian Runaway Selection
                                                                                                              1. Compatible Genes Hypothesis
                                                                                                              2. Cryptic Female Choice
                                                                                                                1. Post-copulatory Selection
                                                                                                                  1. Sperm Storage
                                                                                                                2. Mating Systems
                                                                                                                  1. Monogamy
                                                                                                                    1. Social vs. Genetic Monogamy
                                                                                                                      1. Extra-pair Copulations
                                                                                                                      2. Polygyny
                                                                                                                        1. Resource Defense Polygyny
                                                                                                                          1. Female Defense Polygyny
                                                                                                                            1. Lek Polygyny
                                                                                                                            2. Polyandry
                                                                                                                              1. Role Reversals
                                                                                                                                1. Cooperative Polyandry
                                                                                                                                2. Polygynandry (Promiscuity)
                                                                                                                                  1. Multiple Mating Partners
                                                                                                                                    1. Sperm Competition Intensity
                                                                                                                                  2. Courtship Behavior
                                                                                                                                    1. Courtship Displays
                                                                                                                                      1. Mate Recognition
                                                                                                                                        1. Species Isolation Mechanisms
                                                                                                                                      2. Parental Care and Family Dynamics
                                                                                                                                        1. Evolution of Parental Care
                                                                                                                                          1. Costs and Benefits
                                                                                                                                            1. Types of Parental Care
                                                                                                                                              1. Egg Care
                                                                                                                                                1. Offspring Provisioning
                                                                                                                                                  1. Protection and Defense
                                                                                                                                                  2. Parental Investment Theory
                                                                                                                                                  3. Sex Differences in Parental Investment
                                                                                                                                                    1. Maternal vs. Paternal Care
                                                                                                                                                      1. Factors Influencing Investment
                                                                                                                                                        1. Certainty of Paternity
                                                                                                                                                        2. Parent-Offspring Conflict
                                                                                                                                                          1. Trivers' Theory
                                                                                                                                                            1. Weaning Conflict
                                                                                                                                                              1. Begging Behavior
                                                                                                                                                                1. Honest vs. Dishonest Signals
                                                                                                                                                                2. Sibling Rivalry and Competition
                                                                                                                                                                  1. Competition for Resources
                                                                                                                                                                    1. Siblicide
                                                                                                                                                                      1. Facultative vs. Obligate Siblicide
                                                                                                                                                                      2. Birth Order Effects
                                                                                                                                                                      3. Brood Parasitism
                                                                                                                                                                        1. Intraspecific Parasitism
                                                                                                                                                                          1. Interspecific Parasitism
                                                                                                                                                                            1. Host Defenses and Counteradaptations
                                                                                                                                                                              1. Coevolutionary Arms Race
                                                                                                                                                                              2. Cooperative Breeding
                                                                                                                                                                                1. Helpers at the Nest
                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Kin Selection in Cooperative Breeding
                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Ecological Constraints
                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Social Behavior and Sociobiology
                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Costs and Benefits of Group Living
                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Predation Risk Reduction
                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Dilution Effect
                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Vigilance Benefits
                                                                                                                                                                                          2. Resource Competition
                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Information Transfer
                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Thermoregulation Benefits
                                                                                                                                                                                              2. Cooperation and Mutualism
                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Byproduct Mutualism
                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Coordinated Activities
                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Collective Decision Making
                                                                                                                                                                                                    2. Altruism and Kin Selection
                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Hamilton's Theory of Inclusive Fitness
                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Direct and Indirect Fitness
                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Hamilton's Rule
                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. rB > C Criterion
                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Relatedness Calculations
                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Kin Recognition
                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Mechanisms of Kin Discrimination
                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Phenotype Matching
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Spatial Cues
                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Reciprocal Altruism
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Trivers' Theory
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Conditions for Reciprocity
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Cheating and Enforcement
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Tit-for-Tat Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2. Eusociality
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Characteristics of Eusocial Species
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Caste Systems
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Reproductive Division of Labor
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Morphological Castes
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                2. Evolutionary Origins
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Haplodiploidy Hypothesis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Ecological Factors
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Conflict and Aggression
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Game Theory and Behavioral Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. The Hawk-Dove Game
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Prisoner's Dilemma
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Evolutionarily Stable Strategies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. War of Attrition
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            2. Dominance Hierarchies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Formation and Maintenance
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Effects on Access to Resources
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Linear vs. Non-linear Hierarchies
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. Territorial Aggression
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Resource Competition

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                5. Evolutionary History and Phylogeny of Behavior