Ecology, Different types of Behavior

1. The Fixed Action Pattern (FAP) is a behavior that cannot be learned, it is inherited. It follows a regular pattern. For example: A bird notices ond of her eggs outside the nest. She will roll the egg back in her nest in a specific pattern and if the egg falls, she will still move the "invisible" egg. The reason she doesn't stop after the egg falls is because this behavior requires an action that is carried out to completion (regardless if there is an egg there or not). A specific stimulus initiates the action.

2. Imprinting behavior can be both inherited and learned. However it's usually irreversible. It is acquired during a "sensitive/critical" period. There is a limited time in which a behavior can be learned. This is why they say that learning things or multiple languages as an adult than learning it as a child.

3. Classical Conditioning is a type of associative learning (seeing a connection btwn 2+ events). It occurs when an animal performs a specific behavior in response to a substituted Stimulus.

ex. Pavlov's dog

you ring the bell, dog doesn't respond

you ring bell, give dog food, dog eats food (unconditioned response)

you ring bell, not give dog food, dog responds (conditioned response)

4. Operant Conditioning (Trial and Error) is a type of associative learning as well. The behavior is linked to environmental response. If the response is desirable/positive, the behavior is repeated, if it isnt (negative) the behavior is avoided

ex. Birds that avoid eating a butterfly with a specific pattern because they tasted it, did not like it, and decided to not eat it again.

Lynn attempting to relate this to herself : It's like me with Gatorade, except the trial and error is repetitive because i WANT to like it so bad! but I never do :P Humans just never learn

5. Spatial Learning is another type of associative learning. When an animal associates attributes of a location such as landmarks hoping to be able to return home. The reward for this behavior is GETTING HOME and feeling successful.

ex. When you drive back from a place you've never been to, you try looking for familiar things you had seen on the way to this mysterious place.

6. Habituation is a learning behavior which allows animals to turn off background noises to disregard meaningless stimuli. It could also be getting used to something new after a while.

ex. when humans observe other animals (such as monkeys), in order for them to really catch the monkey's true behavior, they need to have the monkeys get used to their (human) presence through habituation, otherwise the reason for the monkey's actions could be either natural or only because of the new humans in their home.

7. Observational Learning is when animals copy behavior of other animals without having experienced any positive reinforcement.

ex. a child copying a parent's actions of aggression regardless of reward or consequence. It was studied that if a child observes violence and aggression, he/she will emulate those actions. The actions are STILL done if there are no consequences. If there is a reward, the child is more aggressive than the one that had no consequences. And if there is a consequence, the child is less aggressive. HOWEVER, they were all aggressive anyway!

8. Insight (luck) occurs when an animal is exposed to a new situation without prior experience. It has a desirable outcome.

Yes this was a lot longer than recommended, but it's helping me review for the ap exam too! I love blogging :)

Ovulation!

Let's begin with the basics. The gonads (organs that make gametes) for females are the ovaries. Each ovary is protected by a protective capsule and consists of follicles. Each follicle consists of one egg surrounded by follicle cells that help nourish and protect the egg. One follicle matures and releases its egg during the menstrual cycle. Once the cell is released, it travels through the oviduct (fallopian tube). The oviduct contains cilia to move the egg through the fallopian tube. A sperm cell has the opportunity to fertilize this egg as it travels through the oviduct, if it doesn't, the egg will travel through the uterus, break the uterine wall that was built to support a child, and exit through the cervix through the vagina and out (as blood).

When the egg is released from the follicle, the follicular tissue that remains forms a solid mass called the corpus luteum which helps secrete estrogen and progesterone (hormone that helps maintain the uterin lining)

Reproduction is so awesome!!!!!

A sperm's journey

Sperm is formed and created in the seminiferous tubules in the testes. It then travels to the epididymis where the sperm becomes motile and fertilize an egg. When it's time for ejaculation, the sperm is propelled through the muscular vas deferns, behind the bladder and makes three pitstops where extra fluid is secreted. It first stops at the seminal vesicles where a yellowish fluid is secreted. Then it stops at the prostate gland where a thin milky prostatic fluid is secreted. The bulbourethral gland then secrets another fluid that neutralizes acidic urine that stayed in the urethra. I'd like to point out that the sperm doesnt actually "STOP" at the three glands, it keeps moving. The alkalinity of the semen then helps neutralize the acidic environment of the vagina. THAT'S THE SPERM'S VOYAGE! wooo! I love talking about this stuff :)
Here's a picture to help :)

http://www.pitt.edu/~anat/GU/Male/Image.jpg