In this course we will survey the field of Behavioral Ecology, covering topics such as foraging behavior, the evolution of mating systems, sexual selection, predator-prey relationships, cooperation and altruism, competition, and parental care, all from an evolutionary perspective.
Class consists of two parts, lecture and discussion.
In general, I will lecture on Mondays and Wednesdays , and we will have discussions on Fridays. We will use some of the discussion periods to conducts labs and give student presentations, so I may adjust the lecture and discussion schedules somewhat as the semester progresses. Attendance is expected at both lecture and discussion . Exams will be based on material covered during lecture, discussion, student presentations, and on occasional problem sets and lab exercises. The text serves to clarify and provide an alternative perspective - it is a good book so you should stay up on the reading.