Attendance at scheduled debates is mandatory. Open to all students, but is most appropriate for sophomores and juniors. This course explores a variety of animal behaviors from an evolutionary perspective. After examining the theory of evolution by natural selection, this concept will be applied to a variety of topics including territoriality, foraging ecology, antipredator behavior, sexual selection, parental investment, mating systems, and altruism. Hypotheses about the behaviors discussed will be critically evaluated through a careful examination of experimental studies testing these hypotheses.
Attendance is required during all examination periods.
Attendance at lectures is strongly recommended, although not required.