Animal Behavior

Catalog description

This course addresses the causes of animal behavior considered from evolutionary biological, ecological, and neuroethological perspectives. The course begins by considering animal behavior in the context of evolutionary theory including discussions of natural selection, sexual selection, genetic and epigenetic effects on behavior. The rest of the course includes topics such as mating systems, parental care and kinship, cooperation, feeding behavior, antipredator behavior, aggression, play, communication, and animal personalities.