Introduction to the Evolution of Animal Behavior 11:704:269 (3 credits)
Description:
This course broadly exposes students to evolutionary theory and natural selection
using examples from animal behavior to illustrate basic concepts. This course is not
meant to be comprehensive in either evolutionary theory or in animal behavior. Our
guiding objective is to engender understanding of the principles of evolution, and animal
behavior provides some of the most charismatic examples.
Course goals:
1) To understand the basic concepts of natural selection and evolutionary
mechanisms.
2) To recognize and understand basic terms and concepts in animal behavior.
3) To understand the evolutionary and ecological processes that shape animal
behavior.
Instructors:
The 1st half of the course will be given by Dr. Suzanne Sukhdeo and the 2nd half
of the course will be given by Dr. Michael Sukhdeo.
Suggested Textbook:
A textbook is NOT a requirement for this course. All tests will be based on
lecture material. However, for those students interested in animal behavior:
“Principles of Animal Behavior”, Lee Alan Dugatkin, 2nd Edition, 2009.
Grading Scheme:
In-Lecture quizzes
Midterm 1
Midterm 2
Final (cumulative)
Total
100
140
140
280
660
* There is NO extra credit in this course.
Lecture Schedule Fall 2009
DATE
9/2
9/9
9/16
9/23
1
SS
Introduction & Charles Darwin
Suggested
Readings
Ch. 1
2
SS
Natural Selection
Ch. 2
3
SS
Fitness
Ch. 2
4
SS
Microevolutionary Mechanisms
-
5
SS
History of Animal Behavior
Ch. 1
6
SS
Role of Evolution in Behavior
Ch. 2
7
SS
Ultimate Causes of Behavior I
Ch. 2
8
SS
Ultimate Causes of Behavior II
Ch. 2
LECT.
TOPICS
9/30
10/7
10/14
10/21
10/28
MIDTERM 1 (Lectures 1-8)
9
SS
Proximate Causes of Behavior I
Ch. 3
10
SS
Proximate Causes of Behavior II
Ch. 3
11
SS
Sexual Selection
Ch. 6
12
SS
Mating Systems
Ch. 7
13
MS
Protozoan Behavior
-
14
MS
Metazoan Behavior
-
15
MS
Migration
Ch. 13
16
MS
Territoriality
Ch. 13
11/4
11/11
11/18
12/2
12/9
MIDTERM 2 (Lectures 9-16)
17
MS
Aggression
Ch. 14
18
MS
Dominance
Ch. 14
19
MS
Kin Selection
Ch. 8
20
MS
Parental Care
Ch. 8
21
MS
Foraging
Ch. 10
22
MS
Cooperation
Ch. 9
23
MS
24
MS
12/18
SS – Dr. Suzanne Sukhdeo
MS – Dr. Michael Sukhdeo
Comparative Animal Behavior: Higher Order
Animals
Comparative Animal Behavior: Humans
FINAL EXAM (cumulative 1-26) 4:00-7:00 PM
-