AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -animal behaviour …arises in animals) from its ultimate cause (that is, the evolutionary history and functional utility of the behaviour). Proximate causes include hereditary, developmental, structural, cognitive, psychological, and physiological aspects of behaviour.

Detailed explanation-2: -ethology, the study of animal behaviour.

Detailed explanation-3: -A proximate cause is an immediate, mechanical influence on a trait: say, the influence of day length on the concentration of a hormone in a bird’s brain. Ultimate causes are historical explanations; these explain why an organism has one trait rather than another, often in terms of natural selection.

Detailed explanation-4: -Example: Why did the ship sink? Proximate cause: Because it was holed beneath the waterline, water entered the hull and the ship became denser than the water which supported it, so it could not stay afloat. Ultimate cause: Because the ship hit a rock which tore open the hole in the ship’s hull.