CBH 4024 FNU Cognitive Behavior Physiology and Behavior in correlation with Brood Parasites Discussion

Create a Discussion for module 5: Cognitive behavior And Physiology and Behavior

1 Original post (10 points):

Answer all parts of each question, providing details or an example. (8 points)

Provide a reference for all your examples, either a textbook reference or a research paper that you have found through the FAU library website.(https://library.fau.edu/) (2 points)

Ensure that postings contain detailed responses to each question and that course and chapter contents are applied in your discussion responses. For example, consider taking a new approach in presenting chapter content, cite new examples, present external research (paraphrase, avoid unnecessary and/or lengthy quotations; do not plagiarize, cite references)

Discussion questions:

To elaborate on cognitive behavior, the focus will be on brood parasites. This lecture reviewed cognition in animals, and chapter 3 introduced the cowbirds as brood parasites. These birds have cognitive abilities relevant to brood parasitism. If a cowbird female is to successfully lay an egg in a nest of one of its many host species, she needs to do so after the host parent has finished laying her clutch (usually three to six eggs, laying one every day or so) but before incubation of the eggs in the nest has begun. If a female cowbird can make her way to the nest and lay one of her own during this period, then her egg is more likely to be accepted. How might a female cowbird tell when a host’s clutch of several eggs is complete and incubation is about to start? Why would a kind of mathematical ability benefit this bird? Note that host species does not start to incubate until their clutch of three to six eggs is complete.

To discuss physiology and behavior, answer the following question: Serotonin has been shown to be sufficient to cause the development of the gregarious form of the migratory desert locust. If serotonin provides a phenotype change, is this a proximate or ultimate explanation and explain why?