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    • 1. Cell biology >
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    • 7. Nucleic acids >
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      • 8.1 Metabolism
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    • A. Neurobiology and behaviour >
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  • Giving back - BioKQQAnswers

Essential idea: Natural selection favours specific types of behaviour.​


Understandings, Applications and Skills

A.6.U1 Ethology is the study of animal behaviour in natural conditions.
A.6.U2 Natural selection can change the frequency of observed animal behaviour.
A.6.U3 Behaviour that increases the chances of survival and reproduction will become more prevalent in a population.
A.6.U4 Learned behaviour can spread through a population or be lost from it more rapidly than innate behaviour.
A.6.A1 Migratory behaviour in blackcaps as an example of the genetic basis of behaviour and its change by natural selection. [Other examples, including local examples can be also be studied.]
A.6.A2 Blood sharing in vampire bats as an example of the development of altruistic behaviour by natural selection. [Other examples, including local examples can be also be studied.]
A.6.A3 Foraging behaviour in shore crabs as an example of increasing chances of survival by optimal prey choice. [Other examples, including local examples can be also be studied.]
A.6.A4 Breeding strategies in coho salmon populations as an example of behaviour affecting chances of survival and reproduction. [Other examples, including local examples can be also be studied.]
A.6.A5 Courtship in birds of paradise as an example of mate selection. [Other examples, including local examples can be also be studied.]
A.6.A6 Synchronized oestrus in female lions in a pride as an example of innate behaviour that increases the chances of survival and reproduction of offspring. [Other examples, including local examples can be also be studied.]
A.6.A7 Feeding on cream from milk bottles in blue tits as an example of the development and loss of learned behaviour. [Other examples, including local examples can be also be studied.]
​[Text in square brackets indicates guidance notes]

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Nature of science

Testing a hypothesis - experiments to test hypotheses on the migratory behaviour of blackcaps have been carried out. (1.9)

Theory of knowledge

The “Just So” stories by Rudyard Kipling are literary explanations of animal behaviour. What are the features of a scientific explanation rather than a historical or literary explanation?
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