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INTRODUCTION TO ANIMAL BEHAVIOR, BIOLOGY 250, SPRING 2015 INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Cheryl Asa, Director of Research, Reproductive and Behavior Sciences, Saint Louis Zoo; Office phone: 314-646-4523; [email protected] Jan. 20: Ch. 1, An Introduction to Animal Behavior Ch. 2, Behavioral Ecology and Evolution of Altruism Jan. 27: Ch. 3, The Evolution of Social Behavior Ch. 4, The Evolution of Communication Feb. 3: Ch. 5, Avoiding Predators and Finding Food Feb. 10: Ch. 6, The Evolution of Habitat Selection, Territoriality, and Migration Feb. 17: EXAM I Feb. 24: Ch. 7, The Evolution of Reproductive Behavior Mar. 2: Ch. 8, The Evolution of Mating Systems Mar. 9: Ch. 9, The Evolution of Parental Care Mar. 16: SPRING BREAK Mar. 23: Ch 10, Proximate and Ultimate Causes of Behavior Mar. 30: EXAM II Apr. 6: Ch. 11, The Development of Behavior Apr. 13: Ch. 12, Evolution, Nervous Systems, and Behavior Apr. 20: Ch. 13, How Neurons and Hormones Organize Behavior Apr. 27: Ch. 14, The Evolution of Human Behavior May 4: FINAL EXAM BIOLOGY 250: INTRODUCTION TO ANIMAL BEHAVIOR COURSE CONTENT This course introduces concepts that help explain mechanisms and functions, that is, the how and why, of basic behaviors in species ranging from social insects to mammals, including humans. Presented in the context of evolution, students explore behavioral adaptations for survival, the importance of communication, mating strategies, and factors that affect sociality and conflict. Lectures provide a theoretical framework and summarize diverse behavioral patterns and responses across the animal kingdom, supplemented by video for illustration. Class discussions integrate material from the text and other readings with students’ own experiences. CLASS OBJECTIVES 1) Describe the process of natural selection as it pertains to behavior. 2) Evaluate behaviors in terms of proximate and ultimate causes. 3) Describe proximate causes or mechanisms, including involvement of genetics, development and physiology, of observed behaviors. 4) Evaluate hypotheses concerning behavioral adaptations. 5) Describe various methods of communication and their roles in social behavior. 6) Describe the use of space by animals, especially considering the energetic costs involved versus the benefits. 7) Describe food acquisition strategies and evaluate the theory of optimal foraging. 8) Describe the defense systems employed by prey species, how they operate and how they might have evolved. 9) Compare and contrast the various mating strategies, especially in terms of sperm competition, parental investment, and ecological influences. 10) Describe parental behavior and the relative roles of males and females in different species 11) Describe the costs and benefits of social behavior, the basis of altruism, and indirect versus direct selection TEXT AND COURSE MATERIALS Animal Behavior: An Evolutionary Approach, 10th edition, by John Alcock. Lectures will follow the text and be accompanied by hand-outs of PowerPoint presentations. There will be occasional additional hand-outs of supplementary information, typically of newly published studies relating to lecture topics. EXAMS AND GRADING: There will be 3 exams, each worth a third of the final grade. Exams will be primarily short answer and short essay format and will cover assigned material in the textbook, in any handouts, and the lectures. Participation in class discussions will also be considered when assigning the Final Grade for the course. Make-up exams: If you need to be absent from class on an exam day, you must take the exam BEFORE the scheduled date. If you miss an exam for health reasons, a doctor’s written verification of the illness is required before a make-up exam will be scheduled. OFFICE HOURS: by appointment before or after class, or in my office in the Endangered Species Research Center and Veterinary Hospital at the Saint Louis Zoo. Office phone: 314-646-4523; e-mail: [email protected]