Work through the list without notes. If you cannot do a statement, follow its link, then come back. Guide = study guide; Practice = practice questions.
Understanding
- I can tell a behavioural response from a physiological one and give an example of each, linked to an internal or external change. (Guide: “Responses to the external and internal environment”; Practice Q1)
- I can explain the difference between taxis and kinesis and say what evidence would distinguish them. (Guide: Figure 1; Practice Q1)
- I can explain the difference between innate and learned behaviour, and why selection can favour both. (Guide: “Innate and learned behaviour”)
- I can name the five kinds of signal and give an example of each, with what the signal achieves. (Guide: “Communication”; Practice Q6, Q7)
- I can explain how cooperation, including kin selection, can raise individual fitness and population survival. (Guide: Worked example 2; Practice Q5)
Calculation and skills
- I can identify the independent variable, dependent variable and controlled variables in a behaviour or plant-response experiment. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q4)
- I can choose a control that differs only in the factor being tested, and justify it. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q2, Q4, Q7)
- I can calculate χ² for choice-chamber counts, use the right degrees of freedom and state “reject” or “fail to reject”. (Guide: Worked example 1; Practice Q3)
- I can calculate percentages and per-individual values from behaviour data. (Guide: Worked example 2; Practice Q5, Q6)
Reasoning
- I can explain how a signal leads to differential reproductive success and, if heritable, to evolution. (Practice Q6)
- I can explain how a plant’s response to herbivores can raise its fitness. (Practice Q7)
- I can explain why correlational field data support but do not prove a cause, and design an experiment to test it. (Guide: Worked example 2; Practice Q6)
All ticked? Move on to Topic 8.2, Energy Flow Through Ecosystems, or return to the course roadmap.