Discuss how the senses are involved in animal communication PDF

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Isabel Oborne AB4 TASK 1 (P9) Discuss how the senses are involved in animal communication You are required to discuss the senses in a range of animals by completing the attached tables. You will need to explain how the sense works and what special features each animal may have, and what behaviours they use their senses for/how they implement the sense(s) for communication with their own kind.

Species: Dog

Sense: Olfactory (Smells)

You must discuss pheromone s

1. Description of the sense and specialist organ involved (can include a labelled image):

This is found in the fore- brain of a dog and it processes scents that are detected by cells called nasal cavity. The olfactory interprets information of what they smell and transmits it to the brain. The wet noes of the dog allow them to capture more scents that the breeze carries. The sense organ picks up lots of information for example if the female is in heat and how long she has been in heat, also this can show how old they are and how healthy, this can also tell how dominate the other male ahead of them are. Dogs have more than 220million olfactory receptors in their noses and human only have million.

How do they use this sense in communication? Describe the behaviour the animals perform in order to give out and receive information.

The vomeronasal organ is used for detecting pheromones or chemical signals from other animals/ same species and people. Using their sense of smell, they can identify they can tell who and what has that scent and how long ago also how they were feeling at that moment, if a female has left their scent they can tell how long they have been on heat through the pheromones. This all can be used to also protect their land as some dogs will spray area to overpower other dogs to show they are boss or to show that it is their territory like lions they make they areas. It also allows them to tell how young they are and how strong it shows them if they should go for it or back down. How does this form of communication reduce conflict (you may use another species)

Using scent prevents a lot of conflict as they can tell a lot from the scent/ spray. As they can tell how young or old they are through some pheromones, it stops older animals of the species getting into the trouble. It also can show how many is in the pack like wolves and also can show the likely hood of them being able to win a fight it also stops some animals going into some areas as they will have avoided the other wolves to prevent conflict. The information’s dogs get will also change their behaviour if they are meeting other dogs they will either go

Isabel Oborne AB4 dominant to the other or become submissive depending on the information.

Species:

Vervet Monkey

Sense: Auditory (Sound & Hearing)

Description of the sense and specialist organ involved (can include a labelled image):

Auditory communication can be shown in many ways barking, growling, hissing and purring are all consider under this. Sound can be used over a number of ways, it can be used to attracted mates, ward off threats and show happiness or pain. Sound production can be transmitted over long distances for example the wolf’s howl’s to let others know where they are, it also can be used to mark territory. Red squirrels also use their sound to warn others that there is intruders and to try and keep the intruders away, they show this by doing a series of rattles, screeches and yips. The auditory is in the ears and is mainly created by their vocal cords. The different sounds they can make are created by the length of the vocal cord and also how big their mouth which gives them manipulation of the sound. How do they use this sense in communication? Describe the behaviour the animals perform in order to give out and receive information.

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They use this for finding food in a group They use sound to protect them for example from predators on the ground so it gives them time to get out of the way and to warn others. They use vocal sounds to warn other member of their group for example if there is a snake on the ground it allows the monkeys to get away in time. Some animal rely on their sound for courtship displays like birds Most animal know each other’s vocals sounds so they can use the auditory for recognition for example the Diana monkey work with the honey bird as they have learnt their calls when predators are coming. The more testosterone the deeper their vocal sound is which can show there’s who strong they are and better. This also helps with finding mates.

Isabel Oborne AB4 How does this form of communication reduce conflict (you may use another species)

The vocal communication of it helps them and other animals be protected as of them giving warning sounds for each other to get out of the way of predators this avoids conflict with other species and predators. As of the males the more testosterone in them other monkeys won’t go for them as of them having a lower voice it will also show they are stronger and better.

Species:

Macaque

Sense: Tactical (Touch/ Feeling)

Description of the sense and specialist organ involved (can include a labelled image):

This is a signal via physical contact using close proximity this can be done over number of things for example bonding through courtship, agnostic behaviour/ fighting, finding their food, finding their way around the habitats and grooming/allo-grooming these are all different types of tactical which includes touching and being close and feeling one another. The tactical is a comforting sense as of it being welcoming and homely like for a new born.

How do they use this sense in communication? Describe the behaviour the animals perform in order to give out and receive information.

This is used in allo grooming and grooming it is both social and beneficial to the macaque as they all get something out of it even if it is comfort. As it helps with calming the animal and reduces stress, it is known for captive primates are known to groom humans or non- human primates as they can be deprived of this in captivity. They use this to be able to search food as they can feel each texture of what they are searching for and know which one is right. It is the same for finding their way back to their group everything they touch is like a land mark.

Isabel Oborne AB4 How does this form of communication reduce conflict (you may use another species)

This can try and back others away as some animals will use to ward off threats like horses they will kick each other. They use it to prevent conflict like the primate will place their palm out to show submission and the other will stroke the palm to say it is okay and that will stop the conflict which is the tactile communication. Grooming also reduce the conflict as this is a bonding and trusting as they are all touching each other and relaxing each other through tactile.

Species: Garter Snake

Sense: Gustatory (Taste)

You must discuss pheromone s

Description of the sense and specialist organ involved (can include a labelled image):

This is where the animal uses their tongues to gather information around their environment, it can tell the animal many things like what animals have been here and how long ago, a bit like scent marking on the information’s they pick up from it, green iguanas do this a lot around their environment. This is all connected with the Jacobson’s tongue which lays inside the snake’s mouth.

How do they use this sense in communication? Describe the behaviour the animals perform in order to give out and receive information.

The garter snake uses this like any other snake they have an organ called the Jacobson’s organ which allows them to be able to taste the scent of their environment which gives them more information of their environment. The Jacobson’s organ lays inside the snakes mouth on the top of their mouth which helps them process the information which collects with their forked tongue.

Isabel Oborne AB4 How does this form of communication reduce conflict (you may use another species)

This helps them from getting into situations that they don’t want to be getting into as of them collecting the information through the Jacobson’s organ it helps to prevent them from continuing on to the danger. For example they can tell which snakes are more dominant.

Species:

Bird of Paradise

Sense: Visual (Sight)

1. Description of the sense and specialist organ involved (can include a labelled image):

Visual sight is very strong in a type of communication in birds they use it strongly for courtship. As of the birds showing of their bright colours and showing they are fit and healthy but through the courtship to the female the female can pick up how healthy the male is and if he is good mate through looking at his bright colours for example if they are bright and strong colour’s this means they are a good mate. If the male colours are lacking brightness and are showing lots of parasites this means the DNA of the male is not a good match for the female. Body language is used strongly in this and facial expressions for example like a wolf protecting its food, they will be tensed and have their eyes contact straight onto the other with their lip raised and the body arched showing they are ready to fight if needed.

Isabel Oborne AB4 How do they use this sense in communication? Describe the behaviour the animals perform in order to give out and receive information.

They use this in many ways they use the sight for courtship like the birds of paradise. But like I said above it is also used in a lot of body language/ facial language as its visual. The colour of the animals tells a lot about the animal to the other one who is there.

How does this form of communication reduce conflict (you may use another species)

It helps prevent conflict as other animal and species can understand each other through body language and facial expression and eye contact which help prevent any one on one contact between them. This also helps them as they look for the brightness of the feathers as a visual cue as of the brighter the healthier they are and the fitter for example the peacocks the brighter of the feather fans they have the more testosterone and how healthy they are.

TASK 2 (P10)

Isabel Oborne AB4 Compare bonding and imprinting in animals Using the table provided, you are required to research and describe bonding and imprinting processes in 2 species; bonding in a mammal (wolves); and imprinting in a bird species (mallard ducks). State the importance of each, and then compare the processes.

Bonding Species (mammal): Wolf

Describe Bonding

Bonding is where the animal has more control over the situation and if they want to bond with the young, it takes a bit longer than imprinting as it takes longer to bong. Bonding is where the animal feels loved or comfort over time which helps connect the bond between them. It doesn’t have to be the same species as they will socially connect which can be created from many reasons like a death of the mother. Bonding has a lot to do with social big groups like wolves.

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What are the benefits of bonding in Wolves

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Bonding in wolves create good hunting opportunities as they can work together and use their vocal sounds to communicate between each other over the space of hunting in the pack. Having a good bond through the wolves gives them more breeding opportunities. Have the pack with a good bond give each individual more protection especially the pups so it is good for having safety in numbers. Having a bigger pack is better for when they have pups to bond with as it allows them more of a chance of life and less of a death rate, the parents get to look after them more and teach them what they need to know as they have other wolves to hunt and protect the pack/ area of where they are. Reduces conflict as of them understanding the higher rarkey through the pack as they know each other strength. As of the way they bond is through testing others members in the pack.

In a Dog what are the benefits/issues of Interspecific bonding with humans?

Isabel Oborne AB4 The befits of having a dog-human bonding as for the dogs they see humans as a social partner.  Benefit of this is that dogs and humans can work together for example guide dogs and hearing dogs for the death.  Dogs are also good for education purposes for example they are good for children who are not good at socialising or coming out of them shells sometimes the dogs help them to do this and to keep them calm.  Having the contact with dogs it gives us more of the insight of animal’s behaviours and it means we learn more about them and how we can help them.  Having the bond with a dog is good for you and the dog as it gets you to exercise more as you have the need to walk or run with them, it also makes you feel free and relaxed it is better for your health.  Some issues are that they may lose some of their natural instincts like hunting or savaging as of the humans being the source of food.  Another issue is that the dog can pick up behaviours from the humans like if the human is cross while the dog is on the lead or around you they are going to react the way you do as well as they are devoted to you, just like horses they can feel the emotion through the reins.  The dog may not be as social with their own species as of be so reliant on their human family. 5 positive= dots and 3 negative= arrows 

Bird Species (Imprinting): Mallard Duck

Describe Imprinting

In birds like the mallard duck when the animal has hatched from the egg usually the mother duck isn’t too far away from the nest, so when the ducklings are hatching it mean they will most likely defiantly imprint on their mother. But with birds when they hatch they tend to imprint on the first thing they see for example this is why some people have had ducklings or geese imprinting on them. The duckling/geese do believe they are human. Imprinting is permeant and instinctive this is also most common in birds the best time for the young to imprint is when they are 0 days to 1 week old.

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What are the benefits of Imprinting in Ducks

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Some of the benefits of animal imprinting is that they are so focused on the mothers, so the mother doesn’t have to worry as much that they don’t get lost also so predators can’t find them and pick them out. The mother duck doesn’t tend to worry as much about her ducklings as they are dedicated to her and her only. The animal also learns on who is their species and that they have to stick with them. The young do not stay in the same place when the mother leaves as they

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follow so it is safer from predators as they keep moving. As of the animal imprinting on their mother it saves time learning behaviours as they are always with the mother they learn on the way. Helps with the young to understand migration. Imprinting is a quick learning process.

In a Parrot what are the benefits/issues of Interspecific Imprinting with humans?    

One of the benefits is that the animals that do imprinting will always be able to be easily looked after and you can control some of the behaviours they show. It is good for an education purpose as you can try and teach some birds to talk like a parrot so it could be used in education. You can get the animals to be imprinting on anything it can even be a heat box is what they follow or a box that makes lots of sound like their mother would. They are good for entertainment in a zoo like parrots where they can talk and show of tricks.

 One of the issues is they don’t know how to interact with their own species and they may think the human is more of their own species and believe it is a good sexual partner.  They may start to think you may be the sexual partner which can cause problems and make them become aggressive.  They probably won’t be able to be let out into the wild ever again as of not knowing the important things in their life.  They can’t survive on their own without the human as they will rely on the for the food.

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Comparisons: In the space below, compare the bonding and imprinting processes and behaviour for both species. Use advantages and disadvantages section to help with this.

Isabel Oborne AB4 State any similarities and/or differences with bonding and imprinting.

BondingWhen it comes down to bonding it is a longer process with the animal as it takes longer for both the young and the parent. Bonding is also between the males and female adults for breeding. Through the time of the young and the parent bonding it takes the time to learn and recognise each other and individuals, the parents of the pup will only feed them when they have bonded with them, sometimes they may act aggressively at the young if they haven’t if they haven’t bonded properly and can’t recognise their own. With the wolves they learn a lot of their mother but also the pack of wolves as they won’t only be focused on their mother like the imprinting. Bonding is extremely important in wolves as of them relying on each other in the pack as they do most things together. ImprintingAs I have written above and described what imprinting is and how it works, we know it is an instinctive thing to do. It doesn’t take as long as bonding does but the period for the birds to imprint is between from when they are born to the age of 7day(week) so they have to make sure the imprint with in this time. The imprinting allows the mother to be a little more relaxed as the chicks are the once focused on her and her only. The mother does not bond with her chicks like the wolves do they may not even recognise them through sight they may do it by the smell of then or the sound they all make.

TASK 3 (M4) Explain how bonding and imprinting can aid survival in animal species  How methods of bonding and/or imprinting could aid/benefit species survival both when an animal is young and as an adult, and how it benefits the species overall.  The consequences if bonding/imprinting did not happen, is missed, or goes wrong.

Isabel Oborne AB4  Provide relevant examples to explain your points, using images where possible. The methods of bonding in wolves are defiantly beneficial as it is not just for the young as it is a big thing for the pack to be able to work together and hunt in the pack, it is also a good thing due to them having a bound it is good for matting as they are bonded. The bonding also helps them to survive more as of their being a pack it is safety in numbers. It is good as it also teaches the younger one how to be around others of the own species like playing which also improves their bond with others in their pack. The methods of imprinting in birds this is a good aid of survival for as of imprinting being instinctive as the chicks will imprint on the first thing whatever they see, this is why they can imprint on humans and even objects, as of them not needing to have a visual bonding with parent as they will sometimes just bond on the heat and smell. This means they can be looked after if their mother has died but still be able to socialize with their own species as we can get them to imprint on other items for example a moving heat source around the enclosure. The consequences of the animals not bonding can be bad especially if they are young and have had no chance to bond with their parents this can cause them to become isolated and could lead to death due them not being a...