Integrative Biology 429
Animal Behavior
IB 429 provides a broad overview of animal behavior, principally from the perspective of why particular behaviors have evolved (i.e., how do various behaviors increase an animal's ability to survive and reproduce?). Thus, the focus is largely on the behavior of wild animals, although there is occasional discussion of human behavior viewed from an evolutionary perspective. Very little attention is given to mechanistic aspects of behavior that deal with how behaviors occur (e.g., neurobiology, endocrinology). After dealing with basic aspects of behavior (feeding, avoiding predators, social behavior, mating, communicating), the course concludes with lectures on how understanding animal behavior contributes to solving practical problems in animal conservation.
Prerequisite: IB 150.
Grading:
There are 3 in-course exams and a final exam. The best 2 grades from the in-course exams count for 50% of the final grade. The final exam counts for the other 50%. All exams are multiple choice. There are no alternative ways to improve grades, but students can do extra work to obtain honors credit.
Instructor:
Dr. Patrick Weatherheadpweather@illinois.edu
244-0319
203A Shelford Vivarium, 606 E. Healey St., Champaign