Behavioral ecology is the study of how evolution, more specifically natural selection, shapes
an organism’s behavior. The focus of this area of science is on how the behavior increases
survival and reproduction, also known as the adaptive significance of the behavior. One of
the branches of behavioral ecology focuses on group behavior. Individuals are constantly
competing with others for territory, food, mates, and other limited resources. By forming
social groups, species gain an advantage. Organisms as simple as bacteria to complex
organisms like humans display group behavior.
Examples of Group Behavior:
Wolf packs maintain and defend the territories where they live, hunt, and raise their young. Non-pack members are run off or killed when they enter the wolf pack territory.
Prairie dogs live in large “towns” that can be a single acre, or span hundreds of acres. Within these towns certain individuals are responsible for watching for predators, and produce a warning cry that sends all prairie dogs within earshot to their burrows.
Lions live in a pride and work together to take down their prey. The female lions decide when to hunt, and are capable of taking down large prey, such as wildebeests, when they hunt as a group.
Bands of wild horses normally have one dominant stallion that breeds the mares, and protects the band from danger.
After breeding and laying an egg, the female Emperor penguin passes the egg to the male, who will protect the egg for 2-3 months until it hatches. Once hatched, male and female penguins care for the young together.