Question 1

Which of the following would result in an effective alarm signal that also would be the most difficult for predators to localize?

Accepted Answer

An acoustic signal with a single frequency and few starts and stops would be difficult for predators to localize because it lacks spatial information. A broad range of frequencies or a complex temporal structure would provide more information about the location of the alarm, while a pheromone or a visual signal rely on the predator being in close proximity to the prey.

Question 2

Orienting by landmarks, such as done by gray whales migrating along the coast of western North America, is known as

Accepted Answer

Orienting by landmarks, as done by gray whales, is known as piloting. Bicoordinate navigation involves using both the celestial and magnetic compass, true navigation refers to using the celestial compass, distance-and-direction navigation involves moving in a specific direction for a certain distance, and homing refers to returning to a specific location.

Question 3

Pigeons have been shown to use the position of the sun as a compass.A pigeon is trained to feed from the south end of a circular cage and then is placed in a light-controlled room and is phase-advanced by 6 hours.If the bird is returned to the circular cage, where will it search for food at sunrise?

Accepted Answer

Pigeons use the sun as a compass for orientation. When their internal clock is phase-advanced by 6 hours, they will perceive sunrise as happening 6 hours later than it actually does. At actual sunrise, they would expect the sun to be in the position it would be 6 hours later, which is in the east. Therefore, they will search for food in the direction where they perceive the sun to be at that time, which is east.

Question 4

The ability of pigeons to return to their loft after being transported to remote sites is based on a navigational capacity called

Accepted Answer

The ability of pigeons to return to their loft after being transported to remote sites is based on their homing capacity. Homing refers to the ability of animals to navigate and return to their home or nest using various cues, including geomagnetic fields, visual landmarks, and odors. Pigeons are known for their remarkable homing ability, which has been extensively studied by scientists for decades.

Question 5

At noon in the Northern Hemisphere, a bee is performing a waggle dance that is oriented 90 degrees to the right of vertical on the honeycomb.The waggle portion of the dance has a long duration.What is she communicating to her hivemates?

Accepted Answer

The bee's waggle dance, oriented 90 degrees to the right of vertical, indicates the direction of food relative to the sun. Since the dance is at noon in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is in the south, so a 90-degree angle to the right indicates west. The long duration of the waggle portion suggests the food source is far from the hive.

Question 6

An observer of the night sky in the Northern Hemisphere would be able to see that

Accepted Answer

Polaris, the "North Star," remains nearly fixed in the sky due to its position almost directly above the Earth's North Pole. As the Earth rotates, the constellations appear to move across the sky, but Polaris remains in a nearly constant position, serving as a stable point in the night sky. This makes it an exception to the apparent motion of other stars and constellations.

Question 7

A bee is performing a waggle dance straight down on the honeycomb, with waggle runs of very long duration.What is she communicating to her hivemates?

Accepted Answer

The long duration of the waggle runs indicates that the food source is far away from the hive. The waggle dance being performed straight down on the honeycomb indicates that the food source is in the opposite direction to the sun. Therefore, the bee is communicating that food is at a location that is very distant from the hive and is in the direction opposite the sun.

Question 8

After an 8- to 9-year preadolescent period of wandering the southern oceans, gray-headed albatrosses navigate to their natal colony to find a mate and nest.Which of the following is not used by these birds to navigate to their natal breeding colony?

Accepted Answer

Gray-headed albatrosses do not rely on trial-and-error navigation to find their natal breeding colony. Instead, they use a combination of true navigation (using the position of the sun, stars, and Earth's magnetic field), bicoordinate navigation (using their memory of the location of the colony in relation to other geographic features), a map sense (using visual and olfactory cues to locate the colony), and a compass sense (using the Earth's magnetic field to orient themselves).

Question 9

Which type of signal would be used by a nocturnal animal living in dense forest that wishes to quickly communicate its location to a distant family member?

Accepted Answer

An acoustic signal would be the best choice in this scenario, as it can easily travel through dense forest and reach a distant family member quickly. Nocturnal animals often rely on vocalizations to communicate, and an acoustic signal would be the most efficient way to communicate location over a distance.

Question 10

A diurnal animal living in grassland habitat is marking its territory.What type of signal would it most likely use for maximum durability of the signal?

Accepted Answer

In a grassland habitat, where wind can disperse chemical signals quickly, the diurnal animal would likely use a chemical signal with low volatility to maximize the durability of the signal. This would allow the animal's territory to be marked for a longer period of time and potentially deter competing individuals.

Question 11

Which of the following would provide the strongest evidence that pigeons use magnetic cues when returning to their home loft?

Accepted Answer

Evidence that the attachment of small magnets disrupts pigeons' homing behavior directly suggests that magnetic cues are important for their navigation, as it shows a causal relationship between magnetic interference and impaired homing ability.

Question 12

An animal living in the Northern Hemisphere is displaced within the Northern Hemisphere such that the sun rises earlier and is lower in the sky than it would be at the animal's home position.In which direction will the animal move to return home?

Accepted Answer

The answer of An animal living in the Northern Hemisphere...

Question 13

Which of the following does not characterize visual signals?

Accepted Answer

Visual signals generally aid in the localization of the sender, so it is not difficult to localize the sender.

Question 14

Pigeons have been shown to use the position of the sun as a compass.In an experiment, a pigeon is trained to feed from the southeast end of a circular cage.At sunrise, a mirror is used to shift the sun 45 degrees to the right (in a clockwise direction) from its real position.At which location in the cage will the pigeon attempt to feed?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Pigeons have been shown to use the...

Question 15

Which experimental manipulation could be used to determine whether an animal uses piloting?

Accepted Answer

Rearranging potential landmarks around its home would help determine whether an animal uses piloting because it would force the animal to rely on alternative cues, such as the geometry of its environment, for navigation. Displacing the animal or clock-shifting it would not necessarily provide information about piloting. Looking for migratory restlessness in captive animals is more relevant to determining whether an animal uses compass orientation. Displacing and clock-shifting the animals could provide some information but not as specific as rearranging potential landmarks around its home.

Question 16

Experimental evidence suggests that the ability to detect _______ allows pigeons that are displaced long distances to return home even on overcast days.

Accepted Answer

Experimental evidence has shown that pigeons use the Earth's magnetic field for navigation and can detect magnetic fields as a way of orienting themselves during displacement. This ability allows them to return home even on overcast days when other means of navigation, such as by using the stars or the sun, are not available.

Question 17

A bee is performing a waggle dance on the vertical surface of the honeycomb.The dance has a long waggle segment that goes straight upward.What is she communicating to her hivemates?

Accepted Answer

The long waggle segment going straight upward indicates that the food source is far away from the hive. The location of the food source is communicated by the angle of the waggle in relation to the position of the sun. As the waggle runs vertically upwards, it means that the food is located in the direction of the sun, which suggests that it is far from the hive and located in the opposite direction from the sun. Therefore, option D is the best choice.

Question 18

Which statement is true?

Accepted Answer

In a structurally complex environment, such as a forest or jungle, visual signals can be obstructed by obstacles and auditory signals can carry through the environment more easily, making them more efficient.

Answer: D
 Pheromonal signals are limited to providing information about the signaler's species, sex, and reproductive status. They do not provide detailed information about individual identity or behavior.

Question 19

Which of the following requires an animal to "know" the latitude and longitude of its current position and its intended destination?

Accepted Answer

Bicoordinate navigation requires an animal to have knowledge of both its current location and its intended destination in terms of latitude and longitude. Piloting involves using landmarks or other visual cues to navigate, while distance-and-direction navigation involves using external cues such as the sun or stars to determine direction. Homing involves finding the way back to a known location, and migration involves following a predetermined route.

Question 20

The waggle dance of bees is an example of a(n) _______ signal.

Accepted Answer

The waggle dance of bees is a tactile signal as it involves physical movements and vibrations that convey information to other bees.

Quiz 52: Animal Behavior