Animal Ecology: Lecture notes (2021/2022)
Faculty of Science, Radboud University
NWI-BB060B: Animal Ecology
Prof. H. Siepel
Second semester 2021/2022
,List of contents:
Animal Ecology: The basis (Lecture 1)....................................................................................................3
Variation in the environment and Life histories (Lecture 2)..................................................................5
Feeding guilds, specialists, and generalists (Lecture 3)..........................................................................8
Herbivory (Lecture 4)...........................................................................................................................12
Predation (Lecture 5)...........................................................................................................................14
Parasitoids (Lecture 6).........................................................................................................................20
Parasitism (Lecture 7)..........................................................................................................................22
Commensalism and Mutualism (Lecture 8).........................................................................................24
Detritivory (Lecture 9).........................................................................................................................26
Nutrition in Animal Ecology (Lecture 10).............................................................................................28
Trade-offs and Bet-hedging (Lecture 11).............................................................................................30
Reproduction forms (Lecture 12).........................................................................................................33
Summary - Reproduction forms.......................................................................................................35
Sex and Gender (Lecture 13)...............................................................................................................37
Sex differences (Lecture 14)................................................................................................................40
Per capita investment (Lecture 15)......................................................................................................42
Development and longevity (Lecture 16).............................................................................................45
Synchronization (Lecture 17)...............................................................................................................47
Dispersal (Lecture 18)..........................................................................................................................49
Tutorial 1: Optimal foraging – Diet width............................................................................................51
Tutorial 2: Modelling parasite virulence..............................................................................................52
Tutorial 3: Behavioural interactions.....................................................................................................53
Tutorial 4: Reproductive strategies......................................................................................................55
,Animal Ecology: The basis (Lecture 1)
Basic principles of species:
All individuals show the following characteristics:
1. Individuals consume (Feeding)
2. Individuals evade predation (Survive)
3. Individuals grow/develop/learn (Adjust)
4. Individuals reproduce (Replicate)
Variation:
“Ecology is the battlefield of competing variations of traits”
Species fitness is increased with (genomic and/or phenotypical) variation
Variation is limited by the building plan (only existing structures can be modified or added on to)
Types of variation:
Tolerance [basic physiology]
Learning [behavioural aspects]
Phenotypic plasticity [reaction norms*]
Genetic variation [quantitative genetics**]
* Describes the pattern of phenotypic expression of a single genotype across a range of environments
** Phenotypes that vary continuously as opposed to discretely identifiable phenotypes and gene-products
Trade-offs:
“An individual’s traits are dependent on its environment”
Investing in a trait has a cost (Currency: fitness expressed as the expenditure of energy)
Variation between traits between individuals always comes with trade-offs.
(e.g. Energy spent on defensive adaptations cannot be spent on growth)
Lineage specific effects:
“Variability is limited by the construction plan of taxa”
(e.g. snakes always lay eggs (Oviparous), the European viper (Vipera berus) is birth alive by
hatching eggs inside of the mother)
, Summary:
Eat; not being eaten, Grow, develop, learn and reproduce
Anything with energy stored, will be utilized sooner or later
Variation is self-perpetuating
Limitation of the building plan vs. forces adaptation
The balance between income (food) and expenditure (life-history traits)
Phenotypical plasticity, reaction norm and genetical basis
Faculty of Science, Radboud University
NWI-BB060B: Animal Ecology
Prof. H. Siepel
Second semester 2021/2022
,List of contents:
Animal Ecology: The basis (Lecture 1)....................................................................................................3
Variation in the environment and Life histories (Lecture 2)..................................................................5
Feeding guilds, specialists, and generalists (Lecture 3)..........................................................................8
Herbivory (Lecture 4)...........................................................................................................................12
Predation (Lecture 5)...........................................................................................................................14
Parasitoids (Lecture 6).........................................................................................................................20
Parasitism (Lecture 7)..........................................................................................................................22
Commensalism and Mutualism (Lecture 8).........................................................................................24
Detritivory (Lecture 9).........................................................................................................................26
Nutrition in Animal Ecology (Lecture 10).............................................................................................28
Trade-offs and Bet-hedging (Lecture 11).............................................................................................30
Reproduction forms (Lecture 12).........................................................................................................33
Summary - Reproduction forms.......................................................................................................35
Sex and Gender (Lecture 13)...............................................................................................................37
Sex differences (Lecture 14)................................................................................................................40
Per capita investment (Lecture 15)......................................................................................................42
Development and longevity (Lecture 16).............................................................................................45
Synchronization (Lecture 17)...............................................................................................................47
Dispersal (Lecture 18)..........................................................................................................................49
Tutorial 1: Optimal foraging – Diet width............................................................................................51
Tutorial 2: Modelling parasite virulence..............................................................................................52
Tutorial 3: Behavioural interactions.....................................................................................................53
Tutorial 4: Reproductive strategies......................................................................................................55
,Animal Ecology: The basis (Lecture 1)
Basic principles of species:
All individuals show the following characteristics:
1. Individuals consume (Feeding)
2. Individuals evade predation (Survive)
3. Individuals grow/develop/learn (Adjust)
4. Individuals reproduce (Replicate)
Variation:
“Ecology is the battlefield of competing variations of traits”
Species fitness is increased with (genomic and/or phenotypical) variation
Variation is limited by the building plan (only existing structures can be modified or added on to)
Types of variation:
Tolerance [basic physiology]
Learning [behavioural aspects]
Phenotypic plasticity [reaction norms*]
Genetic variation [quantitative genetics**]
* Describes the pattern of phenotypic expression of a single genotype across a range of environments
** Phenotypes that vary continuously as opposed to discretely identifiable phenotypes and gene-products
Trade-offs:
“An individual’s traits are dependent on its environment”
Investing in a trait has a cost (Currency: fitness expressed as the expenditure of energy)
Variation between traits between individuals always comes with trade-offs.
(e.g. Energy spent on defensive adaptations cannot be spent on growth)
Lineage specific effects:
“Variability is limited by the construction plan of taxa”
(e.g. snakes always lay eggs (Oviparous), the European viper (Vipera berus) is birth alive by
hatching eggs inside of the mother)
, Summary:
Eat; not being eaten, Grow, develop, learn and reproduce
Anything with energy stored, will be utilized sooner or later
Variation is self-perpetuating
Limitation of the building plan vs. forces adaptation
The balance between income (food) and expenditure (life-history traits)
Phenotypical plasticity, reaction norm and genetical basis
