BIO 375 (3 credits) - Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

 

SYLLABUS

 

  Fall 2012: 4:00-4:50pm MWF - Rm. THM 109

 

 Instructors:             David Westneat, Office: 104 MDR#3, Office hours: By appointment

                              Telephone: 323-9499, e-mail: biodfw at uky.edu

                               web page: http://www.as.uky.edu/biology/faculty/Westneat/Personal/Bio375/bio375.html

 

Textbook: Davies, Krebs, and West (2012) Introduction to Behavioural Ecology, 4th ed., Wiley-Blackwell 

Week        Dates                        Reading            Topic

1                Aug 22, 24                    1                  Introduction; Tinbergen's 4 Questions

           

 

2                Aug. 27, 29, 31                                 Natural Selection, From Genes to Behavior             

 

3                Sept. 3                                               Labor Day: No Class

 

4                Sept. 5, 7                                           Development and Evolution of Behavior

 

5                Sept 10,12,14                 2                 The Function of Behavior: Basic Approaches

 

6                Sept 17, 19 , 21              3                 Economic Approach: Finding Food

 

                  Sept 24                                              First Midterm Exam

 

7                Sept 26, 28                     4                Avoiding Predators

 

8                Oct. 1, 3, 5                      6                Group Living

 

9                Oct. 8, 10,12                   5                Habitat Choice and Territoriality

 

9                Oct. 15, 17,19                                   Fighting and Assessment

 

10              Oct. 22, 24,26              14                 Communication

 

11              Oct 29                                               Second Midterm Exam

 

11              Oct 31, Nov 2                 7                 Sexual Selection and Mate Choice

 

12              Nov. 5, 7, 9                 7 /8                 Mate choice and parental care     

 

13              Nov. 12, 14,16             9/11               Mating systems; Cooperation and Altruism

 

14              Nov. 19                     11/12                Cooperation and Altruism

 

                  Nov. 21, 23                                        Thanksgiving Break

 

15              Nov. 26, 28, 30              13                 Eusociality

 

16              Dec. 3, 5, 7                   web               Human Sociobiology

 

Final Exam: Monday, 10 Dec. 2012, 3:30 pm, Rm 109