ECOLOGY OF ANIMAL BEHAVIOR:

BIOSM 329/ZOOL 714

    dates:     will be offered in 2009
    credits:   4 semester credits



    Prerequisites: Satisfactory performance in a college-level introductory biology course is required. Previous experience in psychology, animal behavior, or ecology is also recommended, but is not essential.

    Behavioral patterns represent the ability of an animal to deal with its environment in a dynamic fashion. The temperate coastal environment is variable both on regular (daily, tidal, or seasonal cycles) and irregular (winds, precipitation, solar radiation) bases, which places a premium on effective behavioral responses to environmental change. This course will focus on the ecological and evolutionary significance of behavioral patterns found in all animals, with an emphasis on those animals that inhabit coastal marine environments such as those found on Appledore Island, ME. Course lectures, discussions, and worksheets based on group field observations will introduce students to many of the sub-disciplines of behavioral ecology, including communication, awareness, orientation and navigation, sociality, foraging, predator avoidance, and the sensory mechanisms that underlie these behaviors. Field trips to neighboring islands, and a half-day boat trip to study offshore marine mammals and seabirds, will increase student exposure to the behavioral ecology of animal groups not found on Appledore Island itself.

    The course places a strong emphasis on learning the methods of field research, and how to interpret behavioral patterns using data collected on the diverse fauna of Appledore and its surrounding waters. During the second week of the course, students are expected to design and carry out short-term, independent field studies related to some question in behavioral ecology that can be examined using organisms found on Appledore. Examples of previous course projects include studies of the:

    • territorial, foraging, communication, species recognition, and habitat preference behavior of gulls,
    • communication behavior of songbirds,
    • territorial and foraging behavior of muskrats and various insect species,
    • orientation, foraging, and habitat selection behavior of various intertidal animals such as fish, echinoderms, molluscs, and arthropods.


    The results of these independent studies will be presented orally at the end of the course using a mini-symposium format patterned after a professional scientific meeting. The results will also be submitted in writing using proper scientific journal format. Final course grades will be determined based on the following graded assignments:
    • 3-4 worksheets on behavioral observation techniques that utilize group field data
    • a mid-course written examination on lecture material and preliminary field work
    • an oral presentation to the class of findings from the independent field study
    • a written report of the independent field study done in proper scientific format
    • a subjective evaluation from the faculty of the student's overall effort in the course


    It is important to emphasize that the primary course objective is for students to have an intensive, yet enjoyable experience learning how to study behavioral ecology in the field. The course is not intended to provide a detailed survey of either behavior or ecology. Lectures, discussions and field exercises will introduce key topics in behavioral ecology, along with effective use of the scientific method. Students will then use these ideas in the design and execution of their independent field studies.

    The course maintains a modest set of current journal articles and research papers that serve as background readings for lectures and discussions, as well as conceptual background for independent projects. In addition, SML operates a small library with materials covering many aspects of the marine sciences. Texts on behavioral ecology that provide background material and context for the course are also available in the library, including:
    • Alcock, J (2001). Animal Behavior - An Evolutionary Approach (7th ed.). Sinauer Associates Inc. Publishers.
    • Krebs, J. R. and N. B. Davies (1993). An Introduction to Behavioral Ecology (3rd ed.). Blackwell Scientific Publications.
    • Martin, J. and P. Bateson (1993). Measuring Behaviour (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
    Students who do not have specific background in behavioral ecology or field research may find it valuable to do some preliminary readings from one or more of these texts before the course begins.

    Faculty:

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