Behavioural Biology

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

Methods Lectures and practicals.

Group exercises for the introduction to behavior observation tools. Use of statistics for hypotheses testing and use of bibliographical databases online.

Projects are developed in group throughout the semester, with increasing complexity. Final report has oral presentation.

   

Learning Outcomes

This unit tries to show the basic principles of animal behaviour as well as their evolution. With the theoretical basis of the theory of evolution, neurological, physiological aspects of development, selection and evolution of animal behaviour and human are addressed.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

1. Introduction to the biology of behaviour
2. The causation of behavior
3. The development of behavior: genetic and environmental aspects.
4. The evolution of behavior
5. The function of behavior
6. Decision processes and optimality theory applied to territory
7. Aggression and costs of conflict. Theory of games.
8. Sexual selection. Mate choice and evolution of ornaments
9. Reproductive systems and reproductive strategies.
10. Genetics of altruism. The prisoners dilemma and the evolution of human cooperation.
11. Methodological aspects of the study of behavior.

i.Recording of behavior

ii.Sampling methods

iii.Recording rules

iv.Intra and inter-observer variation

v.Sequence analysis

vi.The ethogram

Execution of a project on the study of behavior.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Laboratory work or Field work: 25.0%
Exam: 75.0%

Bibliography

 Alcock, J. 2005. Animal behavior. An evolutionary approach. 8th Ed. Sinauer Ass., Sunderland, Mass. Davies, N., Krebs, J.R. & West, N.B., 2012. An introduction to behavioural ecology. 4rth ed. Blackwell Sci. Publ., Oxford.