Behavioral Ecology Blog

Behavioral ecology is best described as the study of the ecological and evolutionary basis for animal behavior. Inherent in its study is the idea that behavior is shaped by natural selection, and thus most observed behaviors should convey enhanced fitness to the animals practicing the behavior of interest.

Behavioral ecology “evolved” form Ethology, and popularized by Tinbergen, Lorenz, and vonFrisch. Together, they won the Nobel Price for Medicine in 1973.

E.O Wilson transformed the Behavior by applying hypotheses generating using non-human animals to humans. He (quite correctly) noted (in his book, SOCIOBIOLOGY) that we are just another animal and subject to the same selective forces that other animals are.

Today behavioral ecologists study diverse topics that include, feeding and foraging, communication, group living, altruism, mating systems, and reproductive behavior (to name a few). As one of the newest major subdisciplines of evolutionary biology, it’s major findings are generally not well known.

In addition this this, the new field of Evolutionary Psychology has (by my account) its roots in Behavioral Evology.

Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll make an attempt at presenting the tenets of Behavioral Ecology, illustrated of course with human examples and.

1st on the list should be something exciting, huh. What about sperm competition?
Please stay tuned….