Animal Behavior: An Evolutionary Approach PDF

INTRODUCTION

Human beings have been students of animal behavior from their earliest days. Understanding animals and what they did meant survival for humans, either through use of animals as food or avoidance of them as potential hazards. Certainly the understanding of animal behaviors and habits gave a selective edge to early humans who practiced the study. Further evidence for this appreciation of animal behavior can be seen in the many cave paintings depicting animals, while not depicting any of the other facets of the painters' lives. However, the modern study of animal behavior is rather recent and was first widely acknowledged with the awarding of the Nobel Prize in 1973 to Niko Tinbergen, Karl von Frisch, and Konrad Lorenz.

Animal behavior is technically known as ethology, which is considered the systematic study of the behavior of animals under natural conditions. Although historic distinctions existed between the fields of ethology and animal psychology, with the former being largely performed in natural settings and the latter in controlled laboratory settings, modern studies are frequently a combination of laboratory and field work. Ethology is highly integrative and draws on the fields of evolution, ecology, psychology, molecular biology, development, neurobiology, endocrinology, and mathematics. A student in an animal behavior course will typically already have a substantial background in math and sciences.

Tinbergen set the stage for the questions of animal behavior in his 1963 paper, "On Aims and Methods of Ethology". Now commonly referred to as "Tinbergen's Four Questions", he suggested four ways to answer the question "Why?" when referring to animal behavior: as a function of causation, evolution, function, and ontogeny. One aspect is no more important than another, but all four are needed to gather a clear picture of the role of a behavior. In most cases, behaviors should be considered adaptations and therefore subject to the pressures of natural selection.

The study of animal behavior has become a foundation to other biological disciplines, including neuroscience, behavioral genetics, ecology, and conservation biology. Although the study of animal behavior might seem only academic, or even esoteric, the reality is that ethology is applicable to many aspects of our modern lives. The comparative approach of studying animals and using them as models for ourselves leads to important discoveries on how the human brain and behaviors might work. Animal behavior studies are also useful to better the welfare of animals in a wide variety of situations, from agriculture to zoos.

One of the more recent areas in which animal behavior's importance has emerged is in the field of conservation biology. In fact, insights from animal behavior have become critical in the implementation of conservation strategies. The design of wildlife reserves and biological corridors linking reserves needs to be examined with a full knowledge of the wildlife utilizing such reserves. Animal behavior is also critical to the success of captive breeding programs and the subsequent release of these captive-reared individuals. Not fully understanding the behavioral repertoire of an endangered species will likely lead to ineffective conservation measures.

Hard work, long hours, and stiff competition await those who want to enter this field. Those with bachelor's degrees will have opportunities in research, pharmaceutical testing, animal training, and conservation. Specialization in animal behavior usually occurs at the graduate level with a PhD, or even as a veterinarian. Most positions will be in research with the government or research and teaching at colleges and universities. But for those who love animals and who want to delve into and discover new aspects of their behavior, the rewards are substantial. With the current worldwide decline in natural systems, it seems likely that a demand for people trained in animal behavior and conservation will continue into the future.