Behavioural Biology

Course

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/AB_1041

Course Objective

The course will provide an introduction and overview of behavioural biology. We will span the range of the animal kingdom and approach important behaviours from evolutionary, developmental, functional and mechanistic angles. We will cover a wide range of topics from evolution of behaviour to consciousness in animals. These topics will deal with aspects of genes (nature) and environment (nurture) and their interaction in shaping the behaviour of animals and will cover behavioural questions from proximate and ultimate perspectives. Final attainment levels:
• Distinguish proximate from ultimate questions.
• Objectively analyse behavioural observations.
• Distinguish the functional domains that are elemental to understand behavioural biology.
• Explain how genes (nature) and environment (nurture), and their interaction, shape the behaviour of animals.
• Interpret and explain behavioural research at different biological levels (evolutionary, developmental, functional and mechanistic).
• Interpret behavioural data related to both fundamental and applied research questions.

Course Content

In Behavioural Biology we study the "Why?" and "How?" of different behaviours of animals in their environment. We will cover the main subdisciplines as well as important functional domains that are elemental to understand behavioural biology. Topics that we will address are:
- Principles of Animals Behaviour: Tinbergen’s Four Questions
- Evolution of Behaviour
- Proximate Factors (Neurobiology, Hormones, Development and Genetics)
- Learning and Memory
- Cultural Transmission
- Sexual Selection
- Mating Systems
- Kinship
- Cooperation, Social Behaviour and Aggression
- Foraging and Antipredator Behaviour
- Habitat Selection, Territoriality, and Migration
- Communication
- Learning and Memory
- Episodic Memory, Consciousness and Personalities
- Emotion and Stress
- Aging and Disease

Teaching Methods

Lectures (30 h) by the course coordinators and guest lecturers (t.b.d.) Computer/web exercises (6 h) to analyse movie clips of animal behaviour and apply learned terms and principles and dissociate facts from interpretations. Essay assignment (exact format t.b.d.) Self studies with preparation (of questions) for lectures

Method of Assessment

Written examination with open-ended questions (70%) Essay assignment, including peer review/evaluation (10% of which 2.5% for peer evaluation and 7.5% for final version) WebExercises (20%) Each mark should be 5.5 or higher to pass the course and obtain a final grade.

Literature

Textbook: L.A. Dugatkin, Principles of Animal Behavior, 4th Ed. 2020 (ISBN: 9780226448381 or E-books ISBN: 9780226448411 Additional reading material: A selection of primary literature papers that give more in-depth insight into the mechanisms underlying the specific topics covered in the book. The latter material will be provided digitally via Canvas and will be used for assignments.

Target Audience

3rd year Bachelor students in Biology and Minor Evolutionary Biology and Ecology.

Entry Requirements

None

Recommended background knowledge

Neurosciences (AB_1200, 2nd year Biology) Plant
- & Dierfysiologie (AB_1243; or equivalent Animal Physiology course at BSc level).
Academic year1/09/2431/08/25
Course level6.00 EC

Language of Tuition

  • English

Study type

  • Premaster
  • Bachelor