ZOO 4513 - Animal Behavior

College of Natural Sciences

Credit(s): 3
Contact Hours: 47
Effective Term Fall 2018 (550)

Requisites

Pre- or Co-requisite ZOO 4513L with a minimum grade of C and
(Prerequisite PCB 3043 with a minimum grade of C or
Prerequisite PCB 3063 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. (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 history of animal behavior and the techniques used to study animal behavior 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. explaining techniques used to study behavior, including empirical methods, experimental methods and statistical methods with special emphasis on some of the constraints and difficulties encountered in behavioral research.
  2. The student will illustrate the role of genetics, development, and environment on behavior by:
    1. describing and evaluating studies that illustrate the genetic basis of specific types of behavior.
    2. describing and evaluating studies that illustrate the effect of developmental processes on specific types of behavior.
    3. describing and evaluating studies that illustrate the effect of environmental factors on specific types of behavior.
    4. comparing and contrasting genetic, developmental and environmental influences on behavior and the interactions between them.
    5. explaining the classic nature versus nurture controversy and debating the two sides.
    6. explaining specific examples that illustrate the genetic, developmental and environmental effects on behavior.
  3. The student will evaluate physiological control systems and their effect on behavior by:
    1. describing sensory modalities and neural processing and explaining their influence on behavior.
    2. explaining hormonal control mechanisms and the interactions of nervous and hormonal mechanisms that affect behavior.
  4. The student will differentiate between proximate and ultimate causes of behavior by:
    1. describing proximate causes of behavior, in general, and the factors that influence them.
    2. describing ultimate causes of behavior, in general, and how adaptation of behavior occurs.
    3. explaining the physiological mechanisms and adaptive value of:
      1. anti-predator defenses, such as herding, vigilance, fear screams, hiding, camouflage, chemical defenses, warning coloration, mimicry, and other deceptions.
      2. foraging behavior, such as strategies for locating, choosing and handling food.
      3. habitat selection, including dispersal, migration and territoriality.
      4. reproductive strategies, including sexual selection, mate choice, courtship, mating systems and parental care.
      5. communication, including chemical, auditory, tactile and visual signaling, and the evolution of deception.
    4. 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.
    5. 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: 05/16/2014, BOT Approval: 10/21/2014, Effective Term: Spring 2015 (495).
C&I Approval: 02/09/2018, BOT Approval: 04/17/2018, Effective Term: Fall 2018 (550)

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