Bio 130: Animal Behavior Robinson 253, Tu, Th, F, 8:30-9:20AM

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1 Bio 130: Animal Behavior Robinson 253, Tu, Th, F, 8:30-9:20AM I. Instructor: Name: Phil Starks Office Hours: Fri, 2:00-4:00, Robinson 356 II. Graduate Assistant: Name: Genevieve Pugesek Office Hours: Tues, 1:00-3:00, SEC III. The Course: Why does an animal perform a given behavior? In this course, we will explore the many approaches used to answer this question. You will learn a logical framework within which all aspects of animal behavior can be examined. Because this course has the potential to change the way you look at nature, I hope you find it to be one of the most important classes of your academic career. The course is designed for undergraduate and graduate students who want to better understand the evolution, adaptive significance, development, and mechanisms of animal behavior (prerequisites: Bio 13 or 14 or permission). IV. Truth in Advertising Section: This course is required for Biopsychology majors because it provides background information on evolution, natural selection, and proximate and ultimate causation, while also introducing students to a myriad of research approaches to investigate behavior. This course is also highly relevant to those who plan on pursuing careers in the health professions (e.g., human or veterinary medicine), or who simply want to enhance their understanding of the natural world. As an instructor, I use different methods in an attempt to engage different learning styles. Ultimately, it is up to you (the student) to identify how you learn best, and then apply that best practice. Because the concepts taught are most easily viewed through examples, you will be required to learn about many different species. V. Attendance: Class attendance is critical to your success in this course. Please arrive on time and prepared. Read over each assignment carefully and note any questions you may have about the material. I encourage class participation and look forward to your questions. If you need to miss a class for a collegeaccepted reason, speak to me about it a week or two in advance. No makeup exams will be scheduled without an official written excuse, signed by the appropriate authority (Dean, doctor, etc.). All excuses, except those related to illness, must be presented at least 1 week prior to the scheduled exam. All make-up exams must be taken as soon as possible, and the level of difficulty for these exams will reflect the additional time allocated for studying. All electronic equipment (e.g., cell phones, etc.) must be turned to silent during class. VI. Readings: Textbook: Alcock, J. (2013). Animal behavior: An evolutionary approach, 10th Edition. Sinauer Associates, Inc., Southerland, Mass. Additional Readings: Additional readings will be available on the course web site. These readings are subject to change! 1

2 VII. Grading: 4 Exams (15, 20, 25, & 30%, respectively): Format -- T/F, multiple choice, and short answer. 4 Written assignments (2.5% each): 2 T/F, 2 multiple choice, and 1 short answer questions with well-reasoned answers (5 total questions per assignment). These assignments must be completed on the provided template and uploaded to trunk 1 week prior to the exam. I will use some of the best questions on the exam. Assignments will be graded as complete, incomplete, and not submitted. You will not receive comments on these assignments. This class will have 28 lectures and 8 in-class movies. Movies are designed to emphasize lecture material and bring the subject to life. This course will have 4 50-min exams (see IX. Lecture Schedule). There will be no traditional final exam. All exams will occur during class periods. Exams taken in pencil will not be eligible for re-grades. VIII. Course Homepage: The course has a web page on which all relevant information can be found ( The staff will hold virtual review sessions on-line via the discussion board prior to each exam. IX. Lecture Schedule: Week Day Topic Readings Background Information 1 Th (01/18) Introduction: Course Overview; Course Goals; History of Animal Behavior F (01/19) Background Information (1): Evolution & Natural Selection; Fitness & Adaptation; Levels & Units of Selection (Part 1). 2 Tu (01/23) Background Information (2): Levels & Units of Selection (Part 2); Scientific Method; Levels of Analysis. Th (01/25) Recognition Systems: Introduction; Expression Component; Perception Component; Action Component F (01/26) Movie: Evolution Great Transformations 3 Tu (01/30) Behavioral Genetics (1): Review diploid and haplo-diploid genetic system, gamete production, and shared genes by descent; Nature vs. Nurture; Reaction Norms; Relationship Between Genes and Behavior Proximate Causes of Behavior Th (02/01) Behavioral Genetics (2): Experimental Methods and Results; Evolution of Behavior F (02/02) Hormones: The Endocrine System; Hormonal Influences; Methods of Studying Hormone-Behavior Systems; Organizational and Activational Effects; Sex Differences and Sexual Behavior Chapter 1; Reading (2) Chapter 10; Reading (11) Readings (8) Chapter 11; Reading (6) Chapter 11 Chapter 13 2

3 4 Tu (02/06) Ontogeny of Behavior: Development of behavior in honey bees; Critical Periods; Learning; Bird Song; Evolution of Behavioral Plasticity. Chapter 10; Reading (13) Th (02/08) Movie: Trials of Life Growing Up F (02/9) Exam 1 Material from Jan 18-Feb 1. (6 lect /1 mov) Ultimate Causes of Behavior (focus on individuals) 5 Tu (02/13) Habitat Selection: Natal Philopatry and Dispersal Chapter 6 Th (02/15) Foraging: Feeding Behavior; Optimality Models; Optimal Foraging Chapter 5 F (02/16) Anti-Predator Behavior: Crypsis & Mimicry; Polymorphism; Deception Mechanisms; Fighting; Vigilance; Communal Defense Chapter 5 6 Tu (02/20) Orientation & Migration: Definitions; Short and Long Distance Migration; Cues; Applications for conservation (JP) Chapter 6 Th (02/22) No Class: Tufts Monday F (02/23) Movie: Trials of Life Finding the Way 7 Tu (02/27) Sex: The Evolution of Sex Reading (10) Th (03/01) Movie: Evolution Why Sex F (03/02) Exam 2 Material from Feb 2-Feb 23. (6 lect /2 mov) 8 Tu (03/06) Sexual Selection (1): Alternative Phenotypes Reading (4) Th (03/08) Sexual Selection (2): Intrasexual Competition Chapter 7 F (03/9) Sexual Selection (3): Intersexual Competition; Mate Choice; Cryptic Mate Choice Chapter 7 9 Tu (03/13) Mating Systems: Classifications; Evolution of Mating Systems; Mating Systems and Their Ecological Correlates Th (03/15) Parental Care: Parental Care; Conflicts of Interest; Evolution of Favoritism Chapter 8 Chapter 9 F (03/16) Movie: Trials of Life Courting 10 Spring Break (03/17-03/25) 3

4 Ultimate Causes of Behavior (focus on group living animals) 11 Tu (03/27) Group Living: Costs and Benefits; Dominance; Territoriality Chapter 3; Reading (12) Th (03/29) Cooperation & Altruism: Kinship and Reciprocity; Kin Selection Chapter 2; Reading (14) F (03/30) Movie: Trials of Life Living Together 12 Tu (04/03) Kin Recognition: Polistes as a model system Readings (5 & 8) Th (04/05) Eusociality: The Evolution of Eusociality; Reproductive Skew Models Chapter 3, Reading (9) F (04/06) Exam 3: Material from Feb 28-Mar 31. (8 lect /3 mov) 13 Tu (04/10) Cooperation & Conflict: Game Theory Chapter 3 Th (04/12) Communication: Definition; Channels; Functions; Signals vs. Cues; Principals of Communication; Evolution of Honesty Chapter 4 F (04/13) Movie: Triumph of Life Brain Power 14 Tu (04/17) Animal Cognition: Animal Minds Ultimate Causes of Behavior (focus on humans) Th (04/19) Darwinian Medicine (1): Definition; Applications; Reading (3) F (04/20) Darwinian Medicine (2): Examples. Human Sociobiology (1): Adaptationist Approach Readings (1 & 7) 15 Tu (04/24) Human Sociobiology (2): Examples Chapter 14 Th (04/26) Movie: Evolution The Mind s Big Bang F (04/27) Exam 4: Material from Apr 4 -Apr 27. (8 lect /2 mov) 4

5 X. Additional References: 1. Chrastil ER, Getz WM, Euler HA and Starks PT Paternity Uncertainty Overrides Sex Chromosome Selection for Preferential Grandparenting. Evolution & Human Behavior. 27: Dawkins R. (1982) Replicators and vehicles. pp in Current problems in sociobiology, (Kings College Sociobiology Group, ed.). Cambridge Univ. Press 3. Eskenazi BE, Wilson-Rich NS & Starks, PT. (2007) A Darwinian Approach to Huntington s Disease: Subtle Health Benefits of a Neurological Disorder. Journal of Medical Hypotheses 69: Gross MR. (1996) Alternative reproductive strategies and tactics: diversity within sexes. Trends Ecol & Evol. 11: Liebert AE & Starks PT (2004) The action component of recognition systems: a focus on the response. Annales Zoologici Fennici. 41: Liebert AE, Sumana A and Starks PT Diploid males and their triploid offspring in the paper wasp Polistes dominulus. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Biology Letters. 1: Neese RM & Williams GC. (1994) Signs and symptoms of infectious diseases. In Why we get sick. Random House, New York. 8. Payne A. and Starks PT Recognition Systems in the Social Insects. Encyclopedia of Animal Behavior. 3: Reeve HK, Starks PT, Peters JM & Nonacs P. (2000) Genetic support for the evolutionary theory of reproductive transactions in social wasps. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B. 267: Ridley M. (1993) The Enigma. In The red queen. Macmillan, New York. 11. Sherman PW. (1988) The levels of analysis. Anim. Behav. 36: Starks PT, Blackie CA and Seeley TD Fever in honeybee colonies. Naturwissenschaften. 87: Starks PT, Johnson RN, Siegel AJ and Decelle MM Heat-Shielding: A Task for Youngsters. Behavioral Ecology.16: Starks PT and Poe ES Male-stuffing in wasp societies. Nature. 389:

Evolution and Population Genetics, BISC 313L, Spring 2014

Evolution and Population Genetics, BISC 313L, Spring 2014 Instructors: Professor Dennis Hedgecock Office: AHF - Room 130 Office Hours: Wednesday 1:00 2:30 PM or by appointment Office Phone: 213.821.2091