Zoology 304 5 September 2001 Dr. Bowen ESSAY ASSIGNMENT #1 DUE WEDNESDAY, 12 SEPT 2001 TOPIC: Evolutionary Principles and Proximate Mechanisms of Behavior In preparation for writing this essay, read Ch 18 (Masters of the Tongue Flick) and Ch 8 (Evolution of Nest Building) in Topoff’s book. Your assignment is to write an essay discussing the issues raised below. I expect clearly written sentences and paragraph structure that organizes material you have learned in relation to the topic of the reading. Please address the questions listed below, but write AN ESSAY—don't just answer the questions. Both readings should be integrated into one essay that begins with a short introductory paragraph that draws a connection between the two readings. This essay is worth 30 points. Each issue listed below should be discussed in the essay. Full credit will be given if each issue is discussed and integrated into the essay. 4 points will be given for organization and clarity of writing. For the remaining 26 points, I will assign grades of 26 (100%), 23 (90%), 21 (80%), or 18 (70%). I assume that if you take the time to read the book and write the essay, your work is worth 70%. Please don't disappoint me. Reading #1. Masters of the Tongue Flick, by Carol A. Simon. Carol Simon studied tongue-flicking in lizards, especially the Yarrow's Spiny Lizard. What observations and experiments did she conduct to help determine the proximate cause of tongue-flicking in this species? What did she conclude was the primary reason for tongue-flicking in Yarrow's Spiny Lizard? Bissinger and Simon used the comparative method to learn more about the adaptive significance of tongue-flicking in lizards. Explain how they use the comparative method and what they learned. Reading #2. Evolution of Nest Building, by Nicholas E. Collias. Nicholas Collias reviews the evolution of nest building in birds using a comparative approach—he gives examples of convergent evolution and divergent evolution in nest building behavior. Based on the examples in his essay, describe a case of convergent evolution (unrelated species that share similar environments and similar behaviors) and a case of divergent evolution (related species that experience different environments and show different behaviors). Describe the evidence, even if it is indirect evidence, that natural selection has resulted in the behaviors—or types of nests—you describe.