BIOL453W

This course engages in the principles and investigative techniques of behavioral ecology in which questions about the proximate causes, ontogeny, survival value, and phylogeny of behavior are pursued. The ecological influence and evolutionary implications of animal behavior will be investigated through field studies, laboratory exercises and computer simulations. Lectures, discussions and readings in the primary literature and research projects will engage the student to all stages of the investigative process. Topics to be examined vary between years but typically include foraging behavior, migration and movement, communication, reproductive success, neuroscience, ecophysiology, wildlife management, and conservation biology. The course compliments professional training in research, data analysis, and writing for students interested in careers in zoology, ecology, medicine, and public health.

All Years

Fall Semester