Animal Behavior

Biology 342 Fall 07

• Main Syllabus
• LABS
• Week1
• Week2
• Week3
• Week4
• Week5
• Week6
• Week7
• Week8
• Week9
• Week10
• Week11
• Week12
• Week13
• Week14
• Website Stuff

Course Description

This course presents an integrated approach to the study of behavior – the phenotype through which an organism interacts with, and also modifies, its environment. We will study how behavioral phenotypes are shaped by the social and physical environment. We will analyze how behavioral phenotypes are implemented through development by neural physiology, gene networks and individual genes. Conversely, we will study how behaviors modify the environment and thus impact the physiology and genetics of organisms as well as the evolution of the species. Examples will be drawn from both laboratory and field studies using comparative molecular and behavioral approaches to identify patterns and recurring themes, which will be discussed in the context of existing theories about animal behavior

Room: B19
Time: 9:00 - 10:30 Tuesday Thursday
Professor: Suzy C. P. Renn

EXAMS: There will be 2 mid-term exams the course
FINAL: A take home essay (1-2 pages) requiring synthesis of material throughout the course.
WEBSITE PROJECT: Throughout the first half of the semester student pairs will create a web site for an animal behavior of their choice.
For templates and examples from last years course see
http://academic.reed.edu/biology/courses/bio342f06/index.html
Students have the option to work with the freeware "NVU" or Adobe's Dreamweaver.
For detailed assignment download instructions, and evaluation forms
Student Presentations: Students pairs will give a 10 min presentation of a primary literature paper during one of the three presentation sessions. Those students who are not presenting on a given presentation day are expected to be involved in discussion (see sylabus). download presentation details.
Discussion and Participation: Students are expected to come to class prepared to be involved in discussion on all assigned reading. Specific days will be indicated as "Discussion days". On discussion days students are expected to complete the assigned discussion questions, bring these to class, append their response with notes during active dicussion and hand in the results. (download details). Each student will be allowed to ommit the written assignment (but not participation) for 2 of the assigned discussion days.

TEXT BOOKs: We will be using a text book on CD by Barry Sinervo that will be available in class. Another text, "Measuring Behavior: an introductionry guide" by Paul Martin and Patrick Bateson is available on reserve in the library (6 copies). Students wishing to have their own copy of this book are encouraged to buy it used. All required primary literature and review papers will be available through the weekly websites or on e-reserve.

Lab Class B211
Wednesday or Thursday 1:00 - 5:00
Teaching Assistant: Jennifer Leonard

Weekly lab based excercises are primarily planned to be completed during the lab period.
Students should expect to stay and work in lab from 1:00 until 5:00.
Lab notebooks must also be maintained according to standard procedure.
Any weekly assignments are due during lab class the following week unless otherwise stated.

LAB INDEPENDENT PROJECT: For the second half of the semester lab students
will work independently (or in pairs) on a research experiment of their own design. This project may be, but does not need to be, the same as your website project. There are few restrictions other than time (6 weeks) finance (within biology stockroom supplies and minimal budget), and animal welfare that will be placed on these projects. The ideas should be novel, and the methods appropriate to answer the hypothesis.
Final results, as well as experimental methods and background information, will be presented as a poster during the final week.
A "Project Management" assignment is designed to keep the project on target and coordinate activity.
Lab notebooks must also be maintained according to standard procedure. see the lab pages for more details.

Evaluation: