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Course Objectives:
- This course strongly emphasizes the functional significance of animal behavior;
we can refer to the subject as the evolutionary ecology of animal behavior.
Most lectures present a mathematical model treating behavior as adaptation under constraint,
in order to understand principles addressing evolution of behavioral phenotypes.
Consequently, students should gain familiarity with concepts evolutionary ecologists employ
to predict (not simply describe) behavior, and to explain behavioral diversity in nature;
familiarity with concepts implies solving mathematical problems. As the course progresses,
students should be able to read, interpret and evaluate the original literature in
behavioral ecology. Students will demonstrate attainment of objectives in tests, and
by writing two papers.
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Course Prerequisites:
- No fewer than 12 credit hours in biology; completion of MAT 106 or higher-level calculus course, or
completion of a Physics course with calculus.
Students should have
familiarity with derivatives and integrals. Students lacking the requisite course experience
may be "deregistered."
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Classroom Procedures:
- Students should arrive on time when attending lecture, and avoid behavior that
interferes with other students's learning. Cell phones should be turned off.
Students should read the Undergraduate Bulletin's
discussion of plagiarism, and understand the
significance of violations of academic integrity
(see
applicable policies in the Undergraduate Bulletin).
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Text:
- No textbook is required. A series of reading lists will posted on this page.
For those students who wish to purchase a useful textbook, the recommended
(i.e., not required) text is
Principles of Animal Behavior, Second Edition (2009), by Dr. L.A. Dugatkin,
W.W. Norton, New York, NY.
Five classic papers that evaluate/explain the use of optimization to investigate
functional significance of behavior offer useful background reading. Listed below, they are
all available in the Sience Library:
Krebs, J.R., and R.H. McCleery. 1984. Optimization in behavioural ecology.
Pp. 91-121 in Behavioural Ecology: An Evolutionary Approach. Blackwell
Scientific, Oxford, UK.
Grafen, Alan. 1984.
Natural selection, kin selection and group selection. Pp. 62-89 in
Behavioural Ecology: An Evolutionary Approach. Blackwell
Scientific, Oxford, UK.
Maynard Smith, J. 1978. Optimization theory in evolution. Annual Review of
Ecology and Systematics 9:31-56.
Maynard Smith, J. 1984. Game theory and the evolution of behavior. Behavioral and Brain
Sciences 7:95-125.
Parker, G.A., and J. Maynard Smith. 1990. Optimality theory in evolutionary biology.
Nature 348:27-33.
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Grade Determination:
- Course grades will depend on results of two hourly exams, and on
the quality of two papers (each 10-12 pages, double spaced). Questions will emphasize mathematical
methods needed to understand both theoretical models and tests of hypotheses in behavioral
ecology. Final grades are based on the two tests and two papers; each contributes 25% of the
course grade.
- Each paper will address topics discussed in a different series of
lectures. For each paper, a separate reading list, to help students develop
their papers, will be available on this web page.
Some guidelines to be read before writing the first paper
(pdf).
An old collective critique of the first papers submitted
(pdf).
Tentative dates for the tests are: 2 March (Friday) and 16 April (Monday).
The first paper is due 23 March (Friday). The second paper is due 7 May (Monday),
the last scheduled class meeting.
For an outline of topics addressed during the first testing period
see pdf.
For an outline of topics addressed during the second testing period
see pdf.
Accumulating 90 of the 100 total "points" assures a letter grade of A in this course.
Final grades may be "curved" relative to expected total scores.
A reading list on Functional Efficiency and Survival of Soltaries:
pdf.
Readings on Survival of Socially Interacting Individuals:
pdf.
An older review of social group size; the
file is large.
Some papers: linear programming models for diet choice:
pdf.
A recent review of Foraging Theory.
Readings for Second Paper:
pdf.
Practice Problems 1
Answers for Problems 1
Practice Problems 2
 
Answers for Problems 2
Practice Problems 3
Answers for Problem Set 3
Practice Problems 4
Answers for Problem Set 4
If you would like to review deriviatives and integrals, you may find several of the links listed on
The Calculus Page useful.
THE PHENOTYPIC GAMBIT
General Introduction
THE DIET PROBLEM
PATCH EXPLOITATION
"Marginal Value Theorem"
Marginal Value Theorem 2
Some Empirical Tests
Applications
Risk-sensitive Foraging
Low vs High Reward Variance
Energy Budgets and Foraging
On Learning Mechanisms
Further Directions on Individual Functional Efficiency
SOCIALITY: DISPERSION ECONOMIES
SOCIALITY: AGGREGATION ECONOMIES
SOCIAL PARASITISM
SEX RATIO PROBLEM
MATING SYSTEMS
KIN SELECTION
COOPERATIVE BEHAVIOR
FROM INDIVIDUALS TO POPULATIONS
CULTURAL EVOLUTION
RECENT GRADES
| Last 4 of ID | | Test 1 (25) |
| Paper 1 (25) | | Test 2 (25) |
| Paper 2 (25) |
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Instructor
Society for Mathematical Biology
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Page last updated January 2, 2012 by Dr. Thomas Caraco.
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