Earth Science: Behavior Patterns – Communication Communication plays an important role in social interactions between animals. A variety of signs are used to exchange messages, such as optical and acoustic signals. Signs for intraspecific communication frequently involve optical signals. Gestures, facial expressions, body coloration, and posture are all indicators of either aggressive or submissive intentions. … Read more
Earth Science: Biology – Ethology – Agonistic Behavior The powerful clash of antlers or the sight of bared, sharp teeth: these dis- plays of aggression are an important part of the animal kingdom. A complex interplay between aggression and submission keeps animal life in balance. The ethological term agonistic behavior includes any social behavior related … Read more
Earth Science: Behavior Patterns – Feeding and Social Behavior Behavior patterns facilitate group interaction by regulating individual rank, feeding priority, territorial boundaries, cooperative activities, and many other aspects of community life. Among members of the same species, social interactions are simplified by means of specific behavior patterns that regulate their relationships. For example, a recognized … Read more
Behavior Patterns Animals tend to react to certain stimuli with particular responses. These specific patterns regulate and simplify relations between animals of the same or different species. They include reproduction, care of young, communication, feeding, and defense, and may involve body movements and vocalizations. Biology – Ethology – Courtship, Mating, and Care of the Young … Read more
Earth Science: Ethology – Instinctive behavior Instinctive actions, or fixed action patterns, are similar to reflexes, rigid and irreversible but with a greater range and complexity. Examples are the nesting behavior of birds and the stockpiling behavior seen in hamsters. In contrast to unconditioned reflexes the innate stimulus threshold, which triggers a stimulus of instinctive … Read more
Earth Science: Biology – Ethology Behavioral science is a branch of biology that studies the behavior of living organisms. Such behavior may include body posture, vocal sounds, changes in color, and the release of scent pheromones. Complex behavioral patterns can often be divided into macro (e.g., reproduction) and micro (e.g., courtship displays) behavioral categories. Earth … Read more
Earth Science: Biology – Ethology Ethology is the study of animal or human behavior. A relatively new branch of biology, the field of ethology first had to concern itself with developing methods to attain objective and reproducible results. The foremost questions for ethologists today include determining which forms of behavior are genetically determined, or inborn, … Read more
Earth Science: Human – Gene Technology – Stem cell Research Stem cells are undifferentiated body cells; they do not belong to cells of a definite cell type in an organism. They are divided into adult or somatic stem cells (originating from a fetus or adult) and embryonic stem cells. Adult stem cells are responsible for … Read more
Earth Science: Human – Genetically induced Diseases – Hereditary Diseases Hereditary diseases are caused by gene mutations that manifest themselves as a disease of an organism. During reproduction, the mutated genes are passed on to the progeny according to the Mendelian laws of inheritance. Hereditary diseases, which are also known as genetic disorders, can be … Read more
Earth Science: Human – Genetically induced Diseases Mutations are random permanent alterations of genetic information. They may occur spontaneously or due to triggers such as ultraviolet light. In many cases a mutation does not affect an organism’s functions. However, some mutations may result in serious disabilities or even death, as they may cause cancer or … Read more
