BIO 3063 - Animal Behavior

Credits: 4

A study of the development, physiology, genetics, ecology and evolution of animal behavior, with particular emphasis on evolution. The course first introduces the mechanisms responsible for the expression of behavior in animals: the genes, hormones, neurons and muscles that create behavior in an animal. We then examine the evolutionary basis of behavior addressing such topics as foraging strategies, predator-prey interactions, mating systems, sexual selection, aggression, kinship, habitat selection, communication, and human behavior, among others. Laboratory will involve both field and lab work introducing students to (1) observation and description of animal behavior; (2) construction of hypotheses in behavioral ecology and derivation of testable predictions; (3) collection of behavioral data; (4) quantitative & statistical analysis of those data; and (5) interpretation and presentation of findings in written and oral forms. Lab will also include critical reviews (writing and discussion) of scientific literature relevant to the discipline.
Prerequisite(s): BIO 1027 or BIO 1025, BIO 1028, or consent of instructor.
Corequisite(s): BIO3063L
3 hours lecture, 3 hours lab