BIOLOGY
TRENT UNIVERSITY
BIOL 3360H Behavioural Ecology
2013-14 WI
Peterborough
Instructor:
Dennis Murray
Campus:
Peterborough
Email: dennismurray@trentu.ca
Telephone: 748-1011 ext 7078
(strongly preferred)
Office Hours: Monday 14:00-15:00;
Friday 13:00-14:00
Office Location: LHS D243
Secretary: Sandra Sisson
Email: ssisson@trentu.ca
Office Location: LHS D102
Telephone: 748-1011 ext 7424
Course Summary: Behavioural ecology is the study of relationships between animal behaviour,
ecology, and evolution. The discipline differs from classical animal behaviour in that patterns are
examined in the context of ecological conditions that ultimately affect survival and reproduction.
Drawing from theoretical principles, controversial hypotheses, and numerous empirical examples, this
course will examine some of the myriad behaviours exhibited by animals, and explore their ecological
significance and factors having favored their selection and evolution.
Learning Outcomes: I have developed the course to address several learning outcomes. By the end
of the course a successful student should:
1. Understand basic principles of evolution and adaptation of behaviour.
2. Understand current principles related to foraging behaviour and optimization.
3. Possess a solid understanding of mating systems, parent-offspring conflict, and sexual
selection.
4. Be skilled at critical thinking, the scientific method, and reading and understanding the
scientific literature.
Course times and locations:
Monday
14:00-15:50
Lectures:
OCA205
Seminars:
F01
F02
Monday
17:00-17:50
GCS105
Monday
18:00-18:50
GCS105
*Students will attend one seminar in alternate weeks.
Requirements and Grading:
Midterm 1
Midterm 2
Discussion (presentation)
Discussion (participation)
Research proposal (abstract)
Research proposal (paper)
Final
Total
Option A
25%
25%
10%
10%
0%
0%
30%
100%
Option B
15%
15%
10%
10%
5%
15%
30%
100%
Tests - 2 in-class non-cumulative exams worth 25 points (Option A) or 15 points (Option B), and 1
final with cumulative portions, worth 30 points. Tests will consist largely of short answer questions
that evaluate student ability to think critically and solve original problems using principles explored in
class, assigned readings, and discussions.
Discussion sessions - Students are expected to participate in a semi-weekly discussion of assigned
scientific papers. Attendance is mandatory, and 10 points will be allocated for discussion
participation throughout the semester; for full credit each week students must demonstrate an
understanding of the assigned reading by contributing relevant insight into the topics being discussed
and handing in a brief (1 page) outline. Teams of 2-3 students will be responsible for leading one
discussion period during the semester; 10 points will be based on quality of the presentation and
moderation of the ensuing discussion. Students will attend discussions during alternate weeks
throughout the semester. Grades for the discussion group presentation will be a single grade for the
entire group.
Optional proposal – Students may write a proposal covering a particular topic in behavioural ecology;
the proposal allows the value of each midterm to be reduced to 15 instead of 25 points (see Option B),
with the total proposal grade being 20 points (abstract + paper). Students writing a proposal must
hand in an abstract by Jan. 27 (5 points), and a final proposal by Mar. 10 (15 points). The abstract is
an important component of the term paper, providing an opportunity for students to receive initial
feedback and to help hone their topic. Students submitting a proposal abstract but no final paper will
be graded according to Option A (i.e., 0 for term paper abstract); students submitting a proposal and
no abstract will be graded according to Option B (i.e., 0 for term paper abstract, term paper out of 15).
Proposals and abstracts will be penalized by 10% per day late, unless prior arrangements have been
made with the instructor. Note that I will use a program called safe-assign which will check
submissions for plagiarism against the internet and other student submissions. A sample proposal will
be posted to assist students selecting Option B.
Other grade-related matters – Exams will be presented in short answer form, and will cover materials
from class, discussion sessions, and assigned readings. My advice is not to study for exams by
memorizing factoids, but rather try to understand general principles by thinking critically and
dynamically about processes and concepts. Although I will provide sample questions prior to exams,
part of your job is to make certain that class material is clearly understood at the time it is offered;
PLEASE POSE QUESTIONS DURING CLASS. Make-up exams will not be given except with prior
arrangement and under exceptional circumstances. Any issues with perceived grading injustices
should be taken to the instructor, not the TAs.
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Required Textbook: Krebs, J.R., and Davies, N.B. 2012. An Introduction to Behavioural Ecology.
4th ed. Blackwell Science.
Note: textbooks are available from the Trent University bookstore or Amazon.com.
Contacting your instructor:
Owing to the high volume of daily email, it is highly advisable to contact me via telephone or in
person and I do not guarantee a response to email within 48 hours. I am generally available to help
students outside office hours so you are welcome to stop by if you see me in my office. You are
encouraged to use class discussion boards for your general questions, or to ask questions during
lecture or discussion sessions. Phone messages will not be returned.
Blackboard Learning System: Lecture slides from previous years, exam preparation materials, and
discussion papers will be posted on Blackboard Learning System. Note that actual lecture materials
will be updated from the online materials and it is your responsibility to attend lecture to obtain this
updated information. Any course announcements or schedule changes will also be posted.
Tentative lecture and exam schedule - (required readings in K&D):
Jan. 6 - Introduction (Chapter 1)
Jan. 6 - Evolution and Natural Selection (Chap. 1)
Jan. 13 - Genetics and Behaviour (Chap. 2)
Jan. 13 - A framework for Behavioural Ecology (Chap. 2) - Discussion
Jan. 20 - Adaptation or Story-Telling? (Chap. 2)
Jan. 20 - Diet and Habitat Choice (Chap 3)
Jan. 27 - Mid-term EXAM
Jan. 27 - Optimal Foraging - Theory (Chap. 3)
Feb. 3 - Foraging Constraints (Chap. 3)
Feb. 3 – Coevolutionary Arms Races I (Chap. 4)
Feb. 10 – Coevolutionary Arms Races II (Chap. 4)
Feb. 10 - Resource Competition and Territoriality (Chap. 5)
Feb. 24 - Pros and Cons of Living in Groups (Chap 6)
Feb. 24 - Sexual Selection (Chap 7, 14)
Mar. 3 – Mid-term EXAM
Mar. 3 - Parental Investment I (Chap 8)
Mar. 10 - Parental Investment II (Chap. 8)
Mar. 10 - Mating Systems (Chap 9,10)
Mar. 17 – Kin Recognition and Kin Selection (Chap 11, 12, 13)
Mar. 17 – Case study: Behavioural Ecology and Conservation
Mar. 24 - Review for Final Exam
Cumulative Final EXAM
Discussion sessions
Weekly discussions will serve to familiarize students with the peer-reviewed literature in
behavioural ecology, and provide an opportunity for critical evaluation and discussion of
representative articles. Discussion articles are based on material covered in lectures and assigned
readings. Groups of 2-4 students will spend no more than 15 minutes of the class reviewing the major
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findings of the assigned article(s) and the topic in general. Students leading the discussion sessions
need to offer a stimulating session with as much audience participation as possible. Student leaders
will be graded not only on their ability to review and present the readings, but also by the level of
stimulating discussion that they initiate. Each student will hand in a 1-page summary of the discussion
papers and relevant discussion topics at the end of the period. Students are advised against using
computer presentations during discussion sessions and instead should rely on overheads or
blackboard.
Grading for Discussion Sessions
1) Participation (incl. 1-page summaries) -10 points
2) Presentation: Level of discussion, including its relation to class material – 5 points
Discussion papers
Jan. 13: A framework for Behavioural Ecology
Berger-Tal, O., Polak, T., Oron, A., Lubin, Y., Kotler, B. P., & Saltz, D. (2011). Integrating animal
behavior and conservation biology: a conceptual framework. Behavioral Ecology 22: 236-239.
Ledón-Rettig, C. C., Richards, C. L., & Martin, L. B. (2013). Epigenetics for behavioral
ecologists. Behavioral Ecology 24: 311-324.
Jan 20 & 27: Evolution and Adaptation
Sih, A., Bolnick, D. I., Luttbeg, B., Orrock, J. L., Peacor, S. D., Pintor, L. M., ... & Vonesh, J. R.
(2010). Predator–prey naïveté, antipredator behavior, and the ecology of predator
invasions. Oikos 119: 610-621.
Tuomainen, U., & Candolin, U. (2011). Behavioural responses to human induced environmental
change. Biological Reviews 86: 640-657.
Feb. 3 & 10: Diet and Optimal Foraging
Paiva, V. H., Geraldes, P., Ramírez, I., Garthe, S., & Ramos, J. A. (2010). How area restricted search
of a pelagic seabird changes while performing a dual foraging strategy. Oikos 119: 1423-1434.
Jensen, K., Mayntz, D., Toft, S., Clissold, F. J., Hunt, J., Raubenheimer, D., & Simpson, S. J. (2012).
Optimal foraging for specific nutrients in predatory beetles. Proceedings of the Royal Society B:
Biological Sciences 279: 2212-2218.
Feb. 24 & Mar. 3: Territoriality and Group Living
Mosser, A., & Packer, C. (2009). Group territoriality and the benefits of sociality in the African lion,
Panthera leo. Animal Behaviour 78: 359-370.
Daly, D., Higginson, A. D., Chen, D., Ruxton, G. D., & Speed, M. P. (2012). Density dependent
investment in costly anti predator defences: an explanation for the weak survival benefit of group
living. Ecology Letters 15: 576-583.
Mar 10 & 17: Sexual Selection
Puts, D. A. (2010). Beauty and the beast: mechanisms of sexual selection in humans. Evolution and
Human Behavior 31: 157-175.
Collet, J., Richardson, D. S., Worley, K., & Pizzari, T. (2012). Sexual selection and the differential
effect of polyandry. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109: 8641-8645.
Mar. 24 & 31: Parental Investment and Mating Systems
Lane, J. E., Boutin, S., Speakman, J. R., & Humphries, M. M. (2010). Energetic costs of male
reproduction in a scramble competition mating system. Journal of Animal Ecology 79: 27-34.
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Hill, D. L., Lindström, J., & Nager, R. G. (2011). Carry-over effects of male extra-pair copulation
opportunity on biparental effort in zebra finches. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 65: 20492059.
Research Proposal (Option B only)
The research proposal should i) thoroughly review the literature on the topic of choice, ii)
provide a strong rationale regarding the importance of the proposed study, iii) test a new hypothesis
or re-examine a previously-tested hypothesis in a modified context, and iv) use realistic methods to
undertake the research. Description of research studies found in the text, assigned readings, and your
own independent readings should provide a solid framework for designing a sound research proposal.
When writing the proposal, imagine that you are trying to convince a group of academics that your
study needs to be done and can be done soundly by you. Ultimately, you should approach the
proposal as if you were trying to convince a scientific review panel to fund your research.
The proposal will be written in two stages; abstract, and final proposal; deadlines for each
stage are provided on the syllabus. Abstracts will be reviewed, and comments provided by the
instructor, and graded abstracts must be handed in with the final proposal for full credit.
Abstract
Abstracts should provide a brief (i.e., <300 words) overview of the research you would like to
undertake. The abstract should include: i) need for the proposed study, ii) hypothesis to be tested and
the attendant predictions, and iii) experimental design and methods to be used, and at least 5 key
references. Abstracts will receive feedback that should be used in the preparation of the proposal.
Final Proposal
The final proposal should describe in detail (i.e., <12 double-spaced pages, excluding
complete list of references which may be single-spaced) information presented (and refined following
instructor's comments) in the abstract. Proposals should be organized in the following manner:
Abstract, Introduction or Study Rationale, Hypotheses and Predictions, Experimental Design, General
Methods, Significance of Proposed Study, and Literature Cited. Students should make sure that the
proposed study is theoretically sound and feasible, and be clear, concise, and direct in their writing.
You must attach a copy of your Abstract, with my comments, to the back of your final proposal. A
sample proposal is available on Blackboard but should be used as a basic guide only.
Grading of Final Proposal
1) Presentation --10%
3) Thoroughness of literature review and rationale for study--25%
4) Originality of thought and linkage to class material--25%
5) Study design and methods--25%
6) Consideration of previous comments on Abstract, theoretical framework, etc.--15%
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Academic Integrity:
Breaches of Academic Integrity, which include plagiarism and cheating, are extremely serious
academic offences and carry penalties varying from a 0 grade on an assignment to expulsion from the
University. Definitions, penalties, and procedures for dealing with plagiarism and cheating are set out
in Trent University’s Academic Integrity Policy. You have a responsibility to educate yourself –
unfamiliarity with the policy is not an excuse. You are strongly encouraged to visit Trent’s Academic
Integrity website to learn more: www.trentu.ca/academicintegrity.
Please note all of the assignments in this course are independent and should therefore be unique to
each student. We will be using a program called safe-assign to check all assignment submissions for
plagiarism against the internet and other student submissions on blackboard learning system. Please
make sure your work is your own!
Access to Instruction:
It is Trent University's intent to create an inclusive learning environment. If a student has a disability
and/or health consideration and feels that he/she may need accommodations to succeed in this course,
the student should contact the Student Accessibility Service (SAS) (BH Suite 132, 748 1281
accessibilityservices@trentu.ca). For Trent University in Oshawa Student Accessibility Service
office contact 905-435-5100. Complete text can be found under Access to Instruction in the
Academic Calendar.
Please see the Trent University academic calendar for University Diary dates, Academic
Information and Regulations, and University and departmental degree requirements.
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