BIO3052 - Animal Behaviour

• Unit information
• General Unit Information & Objectives
• Specific Unit Information

General Unit Information

We study animal behaviour for several reasons; because we are curious about the species with which we share the planet, because it can give insights into our own behaviour and because it has applied relevance in conservation, animal production and animal welfare.

This unit deals with four key areas of animal behaviour. Firstly, we investigate animal communication systems, with particular emphasis on how signals are produced, transmitted and received, their information content and how they are sometimes used in social manipulation. Secondly, we explore the way in which behaviour develops during the animal's early life and the various influences that shape this development. The third area focuses on mechanisms, with emphasis on the genetic and neural bases of behaviour. Finally, we turn to behavioural ecology that deals with the role of behaviour in the animal's interactions with its environment and the ways in which the environment shapes adaptive behaviour on an evolutionary time scale. Topics explored in this final area include reproduction, parental care, foraging, anti-predator behaviour, and sociality.

Practical work comprises small research projects carried out in groups over several weeks. You will learn how to design, carry out, analyse, talk about and write up such a project. The variety of animals studied includes marine worms, crustaceans, insects, fish and birds. The types of behaviour studied may include foraging, space use, aggression, communication and many others.

Objectives

Students will acquire an understanding and appreciation of selected aspects of animal behaviour. In particular, they will gain an understanding of how environmental and social factors can influence behaviour during development. They will also gain insights into the many ways in which animal behaviour is adaptive in that it promotes survival and successful reproduction. Students will learn how to design, carry out and analyse the results obtained from a study of animal behaviour; they will acquire experience in communicating their findings graphically (as a conference poster) and in writing (in the form of a scientific paper).

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Specific Unit Information

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