EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIORAL GENETICS

Simple genetic models of behavior

• Comparison of genetic and environmental effects on behavior
• Examples of systems in which heritability of behavioral traits has been studied.
• Example 1: Mating in a moth
• Example 2: Dominance behavior in Japanese quail
• Example 3: Mating in a Drosophila.
• Example 4: Neural centers for song production in zebra finches
• Sophisticated techiques have begun to unravel the ways in which a simple mutation alters complex behavior.

Behavior as a quantitative trait

• Quantitative trait loci, or QTL's
• Defensive behavior in honey bees (planned)

Artificial selection and behavior

• Heritability.
• Behavior of dog breeds and varieties (planned)
• Domestication and "gentling" of livestock (planned)

Natural selection and behavior

• "killer" honey bees in South America (planned)
• polygynous fire ants in the Southeastern United States (planned)