ZOO 4513L - Animal Behavior Lab

College of Natural Sciences

Credit(s): 1
Contact Hours: 45
Effective Term Spring 2025 (645)

Requisites

((Prerequisite PCB 3043 with a minimum grade of C and
Prerequisite PCB 3043L with a minimum grade of C) or
(Prerequisite PCB 3063 with a minimum grade of C and
Prerequisite PCB 3063L with a minimum grade of C)
) and
Pre- or Co-requisite ZOO 4513 with a minimum grade of C

Course Description

This course teaches how and why animals behave the way that they do. How animals behave is the realm of proximate causation, which incorporates physiological, developmental and genetic bases of behavior. Why animals behave a certain way is ultimate causation, which investigates the adaptive value of behavior. The adaptive component of behavior also introduces the sub-discipline of behavioral ecology, where the animal’s behavior is studied in an ecological and evolutionary context. This allows us to merge concepts from Animal Physiology, Genetics and Ecology with behavior to provide a highly integrated program of study. The lab component helps students to understand the scientific process and to develop skills in observation, description, data analysis, basic statistics, literature review and evaluation, and writing. (Note: Credit is only given for ZOO 4513C or (ZOO 4513/ZOO 4513L)).

Learning Outcomes and Objectives

  1. The student will demonstrate an understanding of the techniques used to study animal behavior in a laboratory and field setting by:
    1. describing the growth and development of animal behavior as a science and tracing the major contributions in the field.
    2. describing the overlap of disciplines used in the study of behavior.
    3. performing and explaining techniques used to study behavior, including empirical methods, experimental methods and statistical methods.
    4. performing experiments and analyzing results using a variety of techniques.
  2. The student will use critical thinking skills and accurately interpret scientific data in a laboratory and field setting by:
    1. collecting and organizing data in a systematic fashion, assessing the validity of the data, and drawing appropriate conclusions based on the results.
    2. collaborating in groups or teams so that the task, results, and analysis are shared.
    3. managing time and tasks effectively to allow concurrent and/or overlapping tasks to be done simultaneously, by individuals and within a group.
    4. correlating data to scientific literature and evaluating its relevance.
    5. presenting results through written and oral communication.
  3. The student will illustrate the role of genetics, development, physiology and environment on behavior by:
    1. describing and evaluating studies that illustrate the genetic basis, developmental processes, physiological mechanisms and environmental factors of specific types of behavior.
    2. comparing and contrasting genetic, developmental and environmental influences on behavior and the interactions between them.
    3. describing specific examples that illustrate the genetic, developmental, physiological and environmental effects on behavior.
    4. critically evaluating current research on the effects of genetic, developmental, physiological and environmental factors on behavior.
  4. The student will differentiate between proximate and ultimate causes of behavior in a laboratory and field setting by:
    1. describing, comparing and contrasting ultimate and proximate causes of behavior and explaining their interdependence.
    2. explaining optimality theory, analyzing the various behaviors studied using cost-benefit analyses, and evaluating and debating the opposing arguments on the use of optimality theory.
    3. evaluating and critiquing scientific research illustrating anti-predator defenses, foraging, dispersal, migration, habitat selection, territoriality, reproductive strategies, communication and social behavior.

Criteria Performance Standard

Upon successful completion of the course the student will, with a minimum of 70% accuracy, demonstrate mastery of each of the above stated objectives through classroom measures developed by individual course instructors.

History of Changes

C&I Approval: , BOT Approval: , Effective Term: Spring 2025 (645)

Related Programs

  1. Biology (BIOLOGY-BS) (670) (Active)