Inherited and Learned Behaviors

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Inherited and LearnedBehaviors
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Traits (Behavior)

• Traits are something an organism does.
• Examples
• A bear hibernating
• Plant stems growing up and roots growing down

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Instinctive Behavior

• An instinctive behavior is a behavior that an
  animal inherits from its parents.
• The animal is born with the behavior.

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Inherited Traits

• Characteristics passed down to an offspring by
  his or her parents.
• These traits (behaviors) are controlled by genes
  made up of DNA.

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Examples of Inherited Traits

• Hibernation-a deep sleeplike state when an
  animals body processes slow down.
• Migration-seasonal movement of animals from one
  place to another
• Protecting Young
• Walking
• Eating
• Breathing

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Examples of Inherited Traits

• Fur color
• Body markings
• Height
• Length
• Shape of eyes, ears, nose, body

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Learned Behavior

• A learned behavior is a behavior that an animal
  develops by observing other animals or by being
  taught.

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Examples of Learned Behaviors

• Sea animals doing tricks
• Birds avoiding viceroy butterflies

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Learned and Inherited

• Some behaviors animals have are a combination of
  learned and inherited traits.
• Examples
• Young cheetahs have the instinct to hunt, but at
  first do not know how to sneak up on their prey.
  They learn how to do that by watching their
  mother when she hunts.
• Wolves have the instinct to hunt but learn to
  hunt in groups.

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Hunting in Packs
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Plants Behavior

• All plant behavior is inherited (they cant learn
  can they?).
• However, plants will respond to their
  environment.

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Plants responding to their environment

• A plants response to a stimulus is called
  tropism.
• If you put a plant near a window it will turn
  its leaves toward the sunlight.
• Plants roots grow downward toward water.