MBE Final Exam Study Guide
*Your final exam is 60% from new material and 40% off of your midterm material (previous
study guide)
***** Just because it is not on this study guide doesn’t mean it isn’t fair game for the exam.
Use this as a GUIDE not as a list of only what you have to know. Study everything!
Definitions to Know
Life-dinner principle
Polygyny
Consumptive Effect
Polyandry
Parental Investment
Anisogamy
Filial Cannibalism
Brood parasite Altruism
Inclusive fitness
Non-Consumptive effect
Sexual Dimorphism
Chase-Away Sexual Selection
Facultative/Obligate Siblicide
Kin Selection
Aposematism
Genomic Imprinting
Mutualism
Greenbeard
Concepts and Questions
Predator-prey interactions
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Be able to depict a trophic cascade graphically. Differentiate between direct and indirect effects.
In what ways have animals evolved to evade their predators?
Differentiate between Batesian mimicry and mullerian mimicry.
Are constitutive vs induced defenses and chemical vs morphological defenses more common in
marine environments? Why?
How do non-consumptive effects indirectly affect other species and community members?
Give at least two examples of non-consumptive effects.
Are consumptive or non-consumptive effects greater forces in community interactions?
Describe the evidence that leads you to that conclusion.
What is the threat sensitive predator avoidance hypothesis?
What factors affect a prey’s judgment of predation risk?
What are the 3 predictions of the predator risk allocation hypothesis?
Sexual Selection
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Differentiate between natural and sexual selection.
What is the difference between inter and intra sexual selection?
How does investment in offspring affect the roles and behaviors of males and females?
How do sexual selection and natural selection interact to determine animal phenotypes?
What genetic benefits do females gain from choosing between male competitors?
What conflicts arise due to the roles of males and females?
List 4 adaptations and counteradaptations of males and females in response to sexual conflict.
Parental Care and Family Conflicts
18) How does animal care vary in the animal kingdom?
19) Why does fertilization mode influence which sex cares for offspring?
20) Describe the trade-offs parents must consider when deciding how much to invest in
reproduction?
21) What factors affect a parent’s investment in their offspring? Provide examples.
22) What is the parent offspring conflict?
23) Why does sibling rivalry sometimes benefit the parents?
24) How do communication rules resolve the parent offspring conflict?
Social Interactions and Altruism
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What is Hamilton’s rule? What does it predict?
Give 3 examples of kin selection.
Differentiate between direct and indirect fitness.
How might kin discrimination occur? Is it necessary for kin selection? Why or why not?
What is spite? When is it favored?
Describe the prisoner’s dilemma? What insight does it give into cooperative behavior of
animals?
31) Describe the four hypotheses that explain altruistic cooperative interactions between animals?
Conservation and Animal Behavior
32) Describe and give specific examples of at least 3 anthropogenic disturbances currently affecting
animal behavior (not survival).
33) How can animal behavior help conserve and manage species and habitats? (This is not
necessarily from your notes; THINK about different behaviors, outcomes, models that we have
discussed and try to apply them to conservation problems!)