Behavioral Ecology

Catalog description

Ecology is a major (and perhaps the major) component of the modern study of animal behavior. One can explore behavior on multiple levels of analysis: ontogenetic (the developmental origins of behavior), phylogenetic (the evolutionary origins of behavior), proximate (the physiology and neurophysiology of behavior), and functional (the fitness consequences of behavior). Although Behavioral Ecology can and does touch on all of these, the primary focus is on the adaptive significance (fitness consequences) of behavior. Major topics in this course include: foraging behavior, anti-predator behavior, territorial behavior, conflict, sexual selection, mating systems, parental care, and social behavior. Prerequisites & Notes Successful completion of BIO 112/114 or permission of instructor is required. Not open to students with credit for BIO 223.