Module BIOL3351: BEHAVIOURAL AND EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY (LIT)

Department: Biological and Biomedical Sciences

BIOL3351: BEHAVIOURAL AND EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY (LIT)

Prerequisites

• Evolutionary Biology BIOL2241

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To promote an appreciation of the evolutionary and adaptive significance of behaviour and life-history in an ecological context.
• To conduct a supervised investigation of an area within Biological Sciences where knowledge obtained by literature search is important.

Content

• This course first describes the rationale that has led many evolutionary biologists to interpret both behaviour and life-history strategies as adaptations, and considers the different types of natural selection that may act on these traits.
• Throughout the course we highlight a range of problems that an organism might face (e.g. where to eat, how many eggs to lay, should it cooperate with its partner), how evolutionary biologists have sought to identify competitively successful solutions to these problems and how these predictions compare to empirical observations.
• Examine the major processes of selection, including: forms of selection (natural, sexual, kin and group selection), modes of selection (balancing, directional, disruptive) and consider levels of selection (comparing genetic, individual and group based perspectives of selection).
• Use of models in behavioural and evolutionary ecology: Life history trade offs (e.g. reproductive allocation, optimal reproductive strategies, parent offspring conflict), optimal foraging theory, games theory and the evolution of reciprocity and cooperation.
• The evolution of sociality: cost and benefits of group living, social behaviour and the emergence of culture.
• The behavioural ecology of mating: mating patterns and individual mating strategies.

Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this module each student should know: How and why behaviour and life-history are shaped by a variety of forms of selections.
• How tensions between competing units with different selection pressures may be resolved (e.g.: parent offspring conflict, conflict for resources, sexual conflict, reciprocal altruism).

• How to apply quantitative modelling procedures, including optimisation techniques and game theory, to understand and predict behaviour and life-history.

• Extract, compile and review relevant scientific information from various sources and evaluate them critically.
• Assess and interpret the relative costs and benefits of behaviours and life-history strategies in ecological and evolutionary contexts.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Teaching and learning in this component is primarily through the means of lectures.
• Knowledge will be summatively assessed through the use of a mid-module written research report and a 2hr end of module written examination. Knowledge will also be formatively assessed through questions based on lecture material.
• Project: Teaching and learning in this component is primarily through a directed literature search.
• Skills will be acquired through performing relevant literature searches, critical evaluation of results presented in the literature, and written reports.
• Skills in modelling will be practised by set exercises and workshops.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Questions based on lectures

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University