Biology | Animal Behavior
Z460 | 6130 | Hurley, L
This course will explore the incredible array of behaviors that
relate to the fundamental issues of survival and reproduction common
to all organisms. We will delve beneath the surface to learn how
behaviors are generated, what functions behaviors serve, and what
conditions allow them to evolve, with an emphasis on the comparative
study of many different species within their natural settings.
Questions addressed in the course will include: What mechanisms
underlie different behaviors?
Why do similar social structures evolve in animals as diverse as
insects and mammals? What balances of heredity and environment shape
behavior? How do behaviors evolve? In the process of answering these
and other questions, we will learn how the scientific study of
behavior is conducted.