All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What is cooperative hunting as a benefit of group living?
Answer: Coordinated hunting that increases success on prey. Teamwork allows tackling prey beyond individual capabilities.
Flashcard 2: What is the primary antipredator benefit of living in a group for many prey species?
Answer: Reduced predation risk through shared detection and defense. Multiple individuals can spot threats faster and coordinate group defense.
Flashcard 3: What is the 'many eyes' effect as a benefit of group living?
Answer: More individuals detect predators sooner, increasing vigilance. Multiple observers increase early warning system effectiveness.
Flashcard 4: What is the 'dilution effect' in group living?
Answer: Each individual has a lower chance of being attacked. Risk is spread across many individuals, reducing personal odds.
Flashcard 5: Which term matches this benefit: individuals move toward the center of a group to lower risk?
Answer: Selfish herd effect. Interior positions offer protection from edge-focused predation.
Flashcard 6: Which option best describes the many eyes effect: A) faster predator detection B) faster digestion?
Answer: A) faster predator detection. Multiple observers provide superior early warning capability.
Flashcard 7: Which benefit is shown when a troop defends a feeding area more effectively than a lone animal?
Answer: Cooperative territory defense. Numbers provide advantage in defending valuable resources.
Flashcard 8: Which benefit is shown when older siblings help feed and guard younger offspring in a nest?
Answer: Cooperative breeding (alloparental care). Extra helpers improve offspring care and survival success.
Flashcard 9: Which benefit is shown when birds cluster together on a cold night to conserve heat?
Answer: Thermoregulation by huddling. Collective body heat reduces individual energy costs in cold.
Flashcard 10: Which benefit is shown when meerkats give warning calls that cause the group to hide?
Answer: Alarm calling (shared predator detection). Vocal warnings enable rapid group-wide threat response.
Flashcard 11: Which benefit is shown when individuals copy a successful foraging technique after observing it?
Answer: Social learning. Observing others enables rapid acquisition of new behaviors.
Flashcard 12: Which benefit is shown when a pack captures prey too large for a single hunter to subdue?
Answer: Cooperative hunting. Team hunting enables capture of otherwise unattainable prey.
Flashcard 13: Which benefit is shown when predators have difficulty selecting a target in a dense school of fish?
Answer: Confusion effect. Dense groups overwhelm predator targeting systems through visual chaos.
Flashcard 14: Which term matches this benefit: one animal watches while others feed, then they switch roles?
Answer: Sentinel behavior. Rotation system allows continuous protection while enabling feeding time.
Flashcard 15: Which term matches this benefit: reduced chance of any one individual being eaten in a large herd?
Answer: Dilution effect. Risk distribution across group members reduces individual predation probability.
Flashcard 16: Which option best describes a benefit of group living: A) lower vigilance needs B) higher predation risk?
Answer: A) lower vigilance needs. Groups enable shared surveillance, reducing individual vigilance requirements.
Flashcard 17: What is cooperative care of offspring expected to increase most directly?
Answer: Offspring survival rate. Additional care improves young animals' chances of reaching maturity.
Flashcard 18: What is the main benefit of group living for detecting food patches that are unpredictable?
Answer: More searchers increase the chance of locating food. Multiple scouts improve discovery of scattered resources.
Flashcard 19: What is a health-related benefit of social grooming in groups?
Answer: Reduced ectoparasite load. Mutual grooming helps remove harmful external parasites.
Flashcard 20: What is grooming as a benefit of group living in many mammals and primates?
Answer: Social bonding and parasite removal. Mutual cleaning strengthens relationships and improves hygiene.
Flashcard 21: What is the main benefit of dominance hierarchies in group living?
Answer: Reduced fighting through predictable social order. Established ranks minimize costly aggressive encounters.
Flashcard 22: What is reciprocal altruism as a potential benefit of stable group living?
Answer: Helping now can be repaid later by others. Mutual aid systems benefit all participants over time.
Flashcard 23: What is inclusive fitness in the context of group living?
Answer: Fitness gained through own offspring plus relatives' offspring. Total genetic contribution includes direct and indirect reproduction.
Flashcard 24: What is kin selection as a benefit of group living with relatives?
Answer: Helping relatives increases inclusive fitness. Genetic benefits gained by helping related individuals reproduce.
Flashcard 25: What is the primary benefit of group living for young or inexperienced animals?
Answer: Learning survival skills through observation and practice. Group experience provides teaching opportunities for novices.
Flashcard 26: What is the main feeding-time benefit produced by the many eyes effect?
Answer: More time available for feeding due to shared vigilance. Decreased scanning allows increased foraging efficiency.
Flashcard 27: What is cooperative vigilance as a benefit of group living?
Answer: Individuals can reduce vigilance time and feed more. Shared watching duties allow more time for other activities.
Flashcard 28: What is a key benefit of group living for territory defense?
Answer: Group defense improves ability to hold a territory. Multiple defenders can repel invaders more effectively.
Flashcard 29: What is mate choice facilitation as a benefit of group living?
Answer: More potential mates allow better selection. Larger mate pool enables selectivity for better genetics.
Flashcard 30: What is the main reproductive benefit of group living for many animals?
Answer: Increased access to mates and mating opportunities. Larger groups provide more potential breeding partners.