Fundamentals of Animal Behavior
Fall 2014
Instructor: Jeff Schank (original instructor: Don Owings)
Email: jcschank@ucdavis.edu
Office: 268D Young Hall
Phone: 752-6332
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 10:30-11:50 and by appointment
Course description: This is the first of a two-quarter sequence. PSC/ANB 218B will be offered Winter 2014, and led by Andy Sih, Environmental Science and Policy. The goal of this course is to sample current and traditional topics in the field of animal behavior. You will learn about the basic phenomena, concepts, and theoretical approaches of animal behavior, but no two-quarter sequence can provide the entire breadth and depth of animal behavior.
When:
Speakers: TW: 6:10 PM to 8:00 PM
Discussion: TBA
Adjustments: Due to the nature of this course adjustments may be required for some speakers and discussion.
Where:
Lectures: 145 Young Hall (with possible exceptions)
Discussion: 145 Young Hall
Grading:
40% from position papers and leading discussion (you will write 3 papers and lead or co-lead 2 discussions), 15% from review papers on 3 of the position papers (you will write 3 review papers on 3 of the discussion papers), 20% participation in discussions, 25% final exam
Course Website:
https://wtj.ojd.mybluehost.me/website_973e482e/
Look under the “Courses” menu.
Course details:
(1) As noted below, different topics will be the responsibility of different speakers. Each speaker has been asked to lecture on the assigned topic, and then moderate a 1-hour (when possible) with a student-led discussion on the topic.
(2) This means that you, the students, will be leading the discussions (this task will rotate among you). Because of the number of people registered, there will often be co-discussants. Please be thinking about what topic you would prefer.
(3) Each speaker will provide readings prior to the beginning of his/her lectures. Please prepare for lectures by reading that material.
(4) Each speaker will assign the associated discussion topic at the beginning of his/her lectures.
(5) Preparation for each discussion will involve
(a) reviewing the lecture and reading material so that
you can lead the discussion, but everyone else is expected
to join in (this is the main part of the 20% participant
discussion);
(b) for a subset of you each time, you will write a
short position paper on the topic (no longer than 2
single-spaced pages)that you will circulate to all
parties to read exactly one week after the topic is
discussed. You should look into additional reading
and include references for these papers. You will send
it using the class email list; and
(c) A subset of you, will write a short review of the
position paper (between 1/2 and 1 page
spaced pages). The review will briefly
discuss the the strong points of the position
paper and the weak points (e.g., "I think the author
should have included more about X", or "I do not
think that topic X is fundamental to the topic."
or "I think that that X is better, explained or
articulated as this..."). The short review will
be due 3 days after you receive the discussion paper.
You will send out your review using the
class email list.
CLASS SCHEDULE – FALL, 2014
Fundamentals of Animal Behavior (ANB/PSC218A – Schank Instructor)
Lecture times – TTR, 2:10-4:00 PM; Discussion times – TTR, 4:10-5:00 PM
1. Friday – Oct 3 – Organize Jeff Schank (6:10 PM – 7:00 PM)
2. Monday – Oct 6 – Nothing scheduled (6:10 PM – 7:00 PM)
3. Tuesday – Oct 7 – Quantitative genetics, Andy Sih (6:10 PM – 8:00 PM)
Readings (1) Multivariate inheritance and evolution: a review of concepts (2) The genetics of fish behavior (3) The genetics of politics: discovery, challenges, and progress Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
4. Wednesday– Oct 8 – Quantitative genetics, Andy Sih
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:(30.3)
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio/assignments:
5. Friday – Oct 10 – Andy Sih (6:10 PM – 7:00 PM)
Discussion – Andy Sih – Quantitative genetics – Dicussion Leader(s): Alex – Audio:
6. Tuesday Oct 14 – Social bonding: evolution, physiology, neurobiology, and development – Karen Bales
Readings
(1) Developmental experiences and the oxytocin receptor system
(2) Chronic Intranasal Oxytocin Causes Long-Term Impairments in
Partner Preference Formation in Male Prairie Voles
(3) Intranasal vasopressin affects pair bonding and peripheral
gene expression in male Callicebus cupreus
(4) Natural variation in early parental care correlates with
social behaviors in adolescent prairievoles (Microtus ochrogaster)
(5) Neural correlates of pair-bonding in a monogamous primate
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
7. Wednesday Oct 15 – Conservation and Animal Behavior, John Eadie
Readings
(1) Animal behavior and conservation biology
(2) Behavioural biology: an effective and relevant
conservation tool
(3) Endangered species and a threatened discipline:
behavioural ecology
(4) Behavior and conservation: a bridge too far?
(5) The behaviour–conservation interface
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
2. Tuesday – Oct 21– Communication, Dustin G. Reichard (6:10 PM – 8:00 PM)
Readings (1) Signaling (2) Avian psychology and communication
9. Wednesday Oct 22 – Genomics, Brian Trainor
Readings (1) Natural variations in maternal care are associated with estrogen receptor expression and estrogen sensitivity in the medial preoptic area. (2) Serotonin transporter genotype x construction stress interaction in rats. (3) Gene expression profiles in the brain predict behavior in individual honey bees. Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
8. Tuesday – Oct 28 – Communication, Dustin G. Reichard (6:10 PM – 8:00 PM)
Readings (1) Complex signal function: developing a framework of testable hypotheses. (2) What do animal signals mean? (3) The central importance of information in studies of animal communication. (4) Information and Communication Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
10. Tuesday – Oct 29 – Communication, Dustin G. Reichard (6:10 PM – 8:00 PM)
Readings
(1) Animal Signals: Models and Terminology.
(2) The cost of honesty and the fallacy of the handicap principle
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio: assignment
11. Tuesday Nov 4 – Animal Welfare – YeunShin Lee
Readings
(1) Evolution and animal welfare (2) Using behavior to assess animal welfare (3) A user's guide to animal welfare science (4) Conflicting and complementary ethics of animal welfare considerations in reintroductions
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
12. Wednesday Nov 5 – Animal Welfare — YeunShin Lee
Readings
13. Tuesday Nov 11 – Veterans’ Day
14. Wednesday Nov 12 – Animal Circadian Clock, Joanna Chiu
Readings (1) (2) (3) Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
14. Tuesday Nov 18 – Concepts and Methods, Jeff Schank
Readings (1) On the aims and methods of ethology (2) Pseudoreplication and the Design of Ecological Experiments (3) Pseudoreplication is a Pseudoproblem Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
Discussion – Brian Trainor – Genomics – Discussion Leader(s): Mitch – Audio:
15. Wednesday Nov 19 – Agent-Based Models of Behavior, Jeff Schank
Readings
(1) Agent-based modeling as a bridge between disciplines
(2) Avoiding synchrony as a strategy of female mate choice
(3) SWAMP: an agent-based model for wetland and waterfowl
conservation management
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio: (26.9 MB)
Discussion – Tom Hahn
– Behavioral Schedules
– Discussion Leader(s): Ryane
18. Tuesday Nov. 25 – Play – Jeff Schank
Readings
(1) Current perspectives on the biological study of play: signs of progress (2) Animal play and animal welfare
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
Discussion – Karen Bales
– Social bonding: evolution, physiology, neurobiology, and development
– Discussion Leader(s): TBA
19. Wednesday Nov. 26 – Play – Jeff Schank
Readings
(1) Current perspectives on the biological study of play: signs of progress (2) Animal play and animal welfare
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
Discussion – Karen Bales
– Social bonding: evolution, physiology, neurobiology, and development
– Discussion Leader(s): TBA
21. Tuesday Dec 2 – Movement and Migration – Marilyn Ramenofsky
Readings
(1) Behavioral and physiological conflicts in migrants: the transition between migration and breeding (2) Contributions of endocrinology to the migration life history of birds (3) Regulation of migration
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
22. Wednesday Dec 3 – Movement and Migration – Marilyn Ramenofsky
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
Discussion – Marilyn Ramenofsky – Movement and Migration
– Discussion Leader(s): Brandi
23. Tuesday Dec 9– Movement and Migration – Marilyn Ramenofsky
Readings
(1) Behavioral and physiological conflicts in migrants: the transition between migration and breeding (2) Contributions of endocrinology to the migration life history of birds (3) Regulation of migration
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
24. Wednesday Dec 10 – Movement and Migration – Marilyn Ramenofsky
Slides/Lecture Notes/Audio:
Discussion – Marilyn Ramenofsky – Movement and Migration
– Discussion Leader(s): Brandi
FINAL EXAM – Dec. TBA take home (Tentative)