(BIOL 300) Animal Behavior
The study of behavior from an evolutionary perspective. Emphasis on social patterns of behavior including: altruism, optimality, reproduction, parental investment, aggression, and spatial relationships.
| Credit Hours | 3.0 Lecture |
|---|---|
| Prerequisites | BIOL 113 |
| Corequisite | BIOL 300L |
| Offered | Fall |
| Programs | Biology (BS) |
Course Learning Outcomes
- Understand the history of the field of animal behavior, and how this influenced current research approaches.
- Understand how natural selection can cause evolutionary change in behavior.
- Describe how genetics can influence behavior.
- Differentiate between the various forms and functions of animal communication.
- Describe how and why animals learn.
- Understand the major functions of different animal behaviors, and how they evolved (e.g., foraging behavior, antipredator behavior, migration, aggression, etc.).
- Differentiate between various mating and parental care systems and understand their costs and benefits.
- Describe the evolution of social behavior, and evolutionary explanations for altruistic behavior.