Behavioral Study of Female Burying Beetles. Influences on Aggressive Behavior

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Material and methods
• Results
  • Duration of behaviors
  • Chronological occurrence of behaviors
    • Comparison of the behaviors occurring in the different treatment groups
    • Separate analysis of occurrence in each individual behavior
• Discussion
• Acknowledgment
• References

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This bachelor thesis investigates the role of FMRFamide in the aggressive behavior of female burying beetles, Nicrophorus vespilloides. The study aims to analyze the behavioral responses of resident females, both treated with FMRFamide and a control group, when confronted with intruding females. The study seeks to understand the potential influence of FMRFamide on aggression levels and to further clarify the relationship between this peptide and aggressive behavior in burying beetles.

• Influence of FMRFamide on aggressive behavior in female burying beetles
• Behavioral analysis of resident and intruder interactions
• Role of FMRFamide as a potential JH releasing factor
• Comparison of aggression levels between FMRFamide-treated and control groups
• Significance of aggressive behavior in burying beetle survival and reproduction

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

• Abstract: This chapter provides a concise overview of the study, focusing on the role of FMRFamide in regulating aggressive behavior in female burying beetles. The study aims to investigate the impact of FMRFamide treatment on aggression levels and its potential link to Juvenile Hormone III (JH III) titer.
• Introduction: This chapter provides background information on burying beetles, their behavior, and the significance of parental care in their survival and reproduction. It discusses the importance of aggressive behavior in resource competition and highlights the potential role of FMRFamide as a regulator of aggressive behavior. This section also introduces the concept of JH III as a key factor in the regulation of parental care and its possible link to aggression.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This study focuses on the following key terms and concepts: burying beetles, Nicrophorus vespilloides, aggressive behavior, FMRFamide, Juvenile Hormone III (JH III), parental care, breeding behavior, intra- and interspecific competition, resident-intruder interactions, behavioral analysis, video analysis.