BCSC 244: General Outline/Structure (subject to change if needed)

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Date
Topic
01/18
Introduction to Ethology
Goals of the course, questions we will address, getting to know each other
Levels of analysis we will use to approach those questions, how to reach a conclusion, the scientific method, ‘Truth’ in science
01/23
Evolution and Genetics
Darwin, Natural Selection, ideas of 1) how a behavior or phenotype evolved and 2) what its adaptive value is
Review of molecular biology, trait heritance patterns, genomes, methods in genetic analysis including DNA sequencing, genotyping, mutation analysis, and genetic manipulation
01/25
Journal Club – ants
Neuronal control of behavior
01/30
Neuroscience
Organization of the nervous system, neurotransmitters, receptors
Neural Stimulus Response Patterns: Releasers, command centers, pattern generators, inhibitory control of behavior
02/01
Journal Club -- Drosophila feeding preference
02/06
Biological clocks
Environment dependent and independent mechanisms, genetic pathways controlling the internal clocks
Long-term cycles: migration, breeding, dependence on internal and external (light, food, rain) cues as well as social environments
02/08
Sleep/Hibernation
Compare and contrast neural mechanisms of each
Journal Club -- Hibernation molecular mechanisms
02/13
Exam 1
Courtship and Communication
02/15
Songbird song learning-Development
Songbird song learning-Social
02/20
Journal Club - Effect of hormones on songbird learning
02/22
UV, coloration -- Honest Signals for mate attraction
02/27
Courtship in drosophila
Neural and genetic control of this well-studied stereotyped behavior sequence
Journal Club – How food and sex cues integrate to regulate fly behavior
02/29
Social Communication and pheromones
How olfactory cues provide social context for meaningful behavior
Journal Club – MHC peptides in stickleback fish
03/05
Exam 2
Reproductive Behaviors
03/07
Evolution of Reproduction
Review of sex roles, mating strategies, competing hypotheses
Sexual selection
03/12
Spring Break
03/14
Spring Break
03/19
Mating systems; Monogamy
Revisit voles, neurobiological mechanisms of pair bonding
*Final project guidelines included in this lecture*
03/21
Polyandry
Successful cases of one female, multi-male mating system Polygyny: Tactics
Successful examples of one male, multi-female mating system
03/26
Parental Care
Differences between maternal and paternal roles, strategies of young
Journal Club – Multisensory integration by mouse mothers
03/28
Favoritism
Why might one offspring be better “loved”?
Infanticide
An overview of parental killing of offspring in various species, including human
04/02
Journal Club – Sex chromosomes and parenting
04/04
Exam 3
Evolution of Survival Behaviors
04/09
Altruism
Exploring the reasons for, and mechanisms behind playful or helpful behavior
Journal Club – Mirror test in fish, article and debate
04/11
Echolocation
Using bats as the key model system, investigating the neural mechanisms behind this highly effective prey-detection/feeding behavior
Star-nosed Moles: Use of touch to find prey
04/16
Feeding Strategies
Optimal Foraging, Frequency Dependent Selection
Bees
04/18
Bees; Honeybee dances
Social communication in foraging
Journal Club: Bees use of gut microbiome to recognize bees
04/23
Territoriality and Conflict
04/25
Anti-Predator behavior
Strategies to avoid detection, and strategies to overcome those adaptations
Optimality and Game Theory: two leading theories to explain foraging and anti-predator behavior
04/30
Migration
Birds, turtles, etc. Reasons for, mechanisms to accomplish long distance travel
 
Final Papers due: May 5, 2024
 
Final Exam (regularly scheduled common exam time)