Animal BehaviorBIO 432 Spring 2014 Dr. T. Caraco Office: Biology 253 Hours: PM, Thursday Lectures, Assignments, Grades

Introduce BIO 432 ObjectivesPrerequisitesResponsibilities Grade Determination Webpage: No Required Text

Course Objectives Behavioral Adaptation: Functional Significance Evolution of Behavioral Phenotype Address and Interpret Original Literature in Behavioral Ecology NOT Study of Behavioral Mechanisms: Neural Basis of Behavior, Physiology

Course Objectives Evolution of Behavior: Predict Adaptation to Ecology Evolutionary Ecology of Behavior : Theory for Behavioral Diversity Understanding over Description Quantitative Abstraction

Prerequisites Calculus: MAT 106 or Better, or PHY 140 Optimization, Game Theory  12 Credit Hours in Biology Senior-level Course Writing

Responsibilities Lecture: On Time, Avoid Disruption Papers: On Time Plagiarism: U/G Bulletin (see webpage) Avoid “cut, paste, reword”

Grades (5) Quizzes: Five (5) Quizzes: Lecture Topics & Problem Sets Be prepared! Each 10% Course Grade : Two Papers: Reading List for Each Paper Each 25% Course Grade

Quizzes Math Problems/Models: Quantification Practice Problems: Webpage Maximize/Minimize Continuous Function Solve Matrix Game for Nash Equilibria

Papers 1. Integrate Learning: Lecture, Original Literature 2. Prepare as Research Proposal: Cite Ideas, Results Develop New Concept, Report Experimental Tests 3. Length: Pages, Double Space, References

Papers Papers on Reading Lists: Associate with Lecture Topics Webpage

Behavioral Ecology: Context How Do Life Sciences Study Behavior? Introduce Approach, This Course Adaptation Under Constraint, Natural Selection

N. Tinbergen’s Four Questions 1.Functional Significance? Ultimate Causation? Contribution to Survival, Reproduction? Contribution to Fitness? Emphasis, Basis of Predictive Science Why Behavior A; Not B? Adapted?

N. Tinbergen: 4 Questions 2.Proximate Causation? Mechanisms? ? Mechanisms? How? Environmental Stimuli, Response, Neuro-hormonal Control Neurobiology, Physiology, Psychology Source of Constraints, Low Priority

N. Tinbergen: 4 Questions 3. Development of Behavior? Genetic Basis (Often Unknown) Phenotypic Plasticity Individual Learning, Cultural Dynamics Behavioral Ecology, Psychology

N. Tinbergen: 4 Questions 4.Phylogeny? Evolutionary History? Interspecies Comparisons Evolutionary Homology Systematics, Molecular Evolution

Functional Significance Economic Models to Predict Behavior Individual vs Environment: Optimization, Includes Effects on Kin Competing, Cooperating Individuals: Game Theory (ESS)

Behavioral Ecology Theory Risk-sensitive Foraging Ecology of Social Organization Cultural Transmission