Course Unit / Behavioural Ecology

Behavioural Ecology

Year
2
Academic year
2022-2023
Code
02031981
Subject Area
Ecology
Language of Instruction
English
Mode of Delivery
Face-to-face
Duration
SEMESTRIAL
ECTS Credits
6.0
Type
Elective
Level
2nd Cycle Studies - Mestrado

Recommended Prerequisites

  Evolution  

Teaching Methods

  Lectures, exercises, tutorials  

Learning Outcomes

The discipline deals with the evolutionary approach to  the behaviour of animals and their adaptation to ecological conditions. Behaviour is the most plastic strategy that animals can use to deal with their environment and the challenges imposed to survival and reproduction. Taking the evolutionary theory as a basis we explore the theory and practical knowledge on how animals deal with their environment when searching for food, competing for resources, or mating, or the decision making process in investing in offspring, or cooperation with others. All of this has large implications in the dynamics of populations in ecological systems.   

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

  1. 1.     Ecology and behaviour. Observations and questions.
  2. 2.    Hypotheses testing in behavioural ecology

2.1. Methods to test adaptations

  1. 3.    Economical models of behaviour

3.1. Manage time and energy

3.2. Models of optimal foraging

  1. 4.    Predators and prey

4.1. Camouflage

4.2. Aposematism

4.3. Mimetism

  1. 5.    Competition for resources

5.1. Game theory and hawk-dove game

5.2. Evolutionarily stable strategies

  1. 6.    Sexual selection and reproductive strategies

6.1. Sexual selection and mate choice

6.2. Reproductive strategies

  1. 7.    Mating systems

7.1. Evolutionary approaches to mating systems

7.2. Parental care and parental investment

  1. 8.    The ecology of information use

8.1. Sensory systems and behaviour

8.2. The evolution of signals and recognition systems

  1. 9.    Kinship, social evolution and cooperative systems

9.1. The social gene

9.2. Ki-selection and evolution of altruism

10. Cooperation

    10.1 What is cooperation

    10.2 Solving the problem of cooperation   

Head Lecturer(s)

Paulo Jorge Gama Mota

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Articles analysis: 20.0%
Project: 80.0%

Bibliography

 Davies, NB, Krebs, J., West, S. 2012. An Introduction to Behavioural Ecology. 4th Ed. Wiley-Blackwell.

Danchin, E. Giraldeau, L-A, Cézilly, F. 2008. Behavioural Ecology: an evolutionary perspective on behaviour. Oxford. Oxford UP.