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Ellen Ketterson Professor of Biology |
| C E N T E R F O R T H E I N T E G R A T I V E S T U D Y O F A N I M A L B E H A V I O R |
| F A L L 2 0 0 0 G R A D U A T E S E M I NA R |
| Behavioral Ecology (A501 / L581) |
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Ellen Ketterson Professor of Biology |
| PROSPECTUS . READINGS . CLASS SCHEDULE |
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C O U R S E D E S C R I P T I O N OBJECTIVES: Behavioral Ecology is still a young discipline whose goal is to explain why animals look, behave, and distribute themselves as they do. It is closely related to the study of adaptation and relies on theory from evolutionary biology, including the sub-fields of sexual selection and life histories. Its empirical strengths are comparative and experimental. The major objective of this course is to evaluate behavioral ecology's accomplishments, shortcomings, and future directions. By the time the course is over I hope you will have a firm grasp of the basic concepts in this field and be familiar with the classic studies. I also hope that you will also be aware of current controversies and perhaps elect to pursue research that will help to resolve them. A second course objective is to promote your ability to integrate evolutionary, ecological and mechanistic explanations of animal behavior. Many researchers behave as if "how questions" are separable from "why questions," and that each can be investigated independently. Sometimes this may be necessary in the short run. For example, we know very little about the genetic basis or physiological regulation of complex social behaviors (but see recent work on social insects), but this does not prevent study of the evolution of these behaviors using phylogenetic and experimental approaches. In the long run, however, morphological, physiological, and genetic underpinnings of behavior almost certainly impose important constraints on behavioral evolution. Similarly, an understanding of behavioral mechanisms is incomplete without an appreciation of the adaptive significance and phylogenetic origins of behavior. A complete understanding will require a joint understanding of mechanism and function. Consequently, we will emphasize studies in which integrative approaches to animal behavior have provided important new insights into both evolutionary and mechanistic questions. A third course objective is to develop your abilities to analyze the literature critically, to engage in scientific debate, and to make use of your colleagues (both students and faculty) as springboards for trying out new ideas. I will strive to create an environment in which participants are willing to risk themselves intellectually, think creatively, and generate new perspectives on current issues in behavioral ecology. FORMAT: The class will consist of lectures by Ketterson, informal and formal presentations by visiting experts, and student-led discussions. The highlight of this year's class will be the four outstanding behavioral ecologists who will visit the campus, meet with you individually, and use class-time to describe their research. During weeks with visiting speakers, we will devote Tuesdays to student-led discussions of their papers and Thursdays and Fridays to their presentations. You will also be asked - have the opportunity - to meet with the speakers to discuss your own work or to share a meal or an evening. During weeks when there are no visitors, we will devote Tuesdays to lectures by Ketterson and Thursdays to student-led discussions of literature. Two or three students will be responsible for leading each discussion and they will lead off with short (10 minute) summaries and critiques of two or three papers that all of us will have read. EVALUATION for L581: Students will rotate as discussion leaders, and you will be expected to lead two discussions. You will be evaluated on your ability (1) to provide a novel critique of, or novel perspective on, the literature, and (2) to involve other participants in discussion/debate concerning the issues under consideration. The success of the Discussion will depend less on whether the position adopted by the discussion leader is correct, and more on whether it causes all of us to think in new ways about the material and thus to identify and analyze critical issues. Once each week, you will be expected to prepare a one-page "think piece" on one of the readings for class (either for Tuesday's or Thursday's class). Merely summarizing one of the papers can not satisfy this requirement. Instead, I am asking you to (1) provide a novel insight into the paper, (2) point out a flaw in its design or in the analysis or interpretation of data, (3) discuss the relevance of the work to some other area of research including an area in which you are currently working, or (4) bring to our attention other published work that bears directly on the issues addressed in the paper. In general, almost anything that provides clear evidence that you have thought carefully and creatively about the reading will suffice. The think pieces should be e-mailed to the persons lecturing or leading the discussion by 5 PM of the day before class. All students are asked to participate in the social opportunities during the speakers' visits. Please expect to be a co-host for at least one of the visits. Hosting will consist of taking time to share a meal with a speaker and helping to prepare for any other social occasions after the talks. Grades will be based on the think pieces and class participation (~50%) and on your presentations (~50%). Occasionally I may ask you to prepare homework assignments in addition to the think pieces. EVALUATION for A501: Students enrolled in the seminar are expected to participate fully during the first few weeks of the semester and when visiting speakers are in town, i.e., reading, discussing, think pieces, socializing). A501 students are expected to lead one discussion during the weeks they attend and to submit a think piece each week there is a speaker. Papers to be read for class are usually handed out during class, so you will need to hunt me down to be sure that you have the readings in time to prepare your think pieces. Finally seminar students are expected to participate in the social aspects of the class as described above for L581 students. Grades will be based on the think pieces and class participation (~75%) and on your presentations (~25%). We may occasionally ask you to prepare homework assignments in addition to the think pieces. INVITED GUEST SPEAKERS: Christine (Chris) R.B. Boake (University of Tennessee) |
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R E A D I N G S TEXTBOOK: Krebs, J.R., and N.B. Davies. 1997. Behavioural Ecology: an evolutionary approach. Blackwell Science, Oxford. (RECOMMENDED, NOT REQUIRED) READINGS to PREPARE for VISITORS: GOWATY Gowaty, P.A. 1996. Battles of the Sexes and Origins of Monogamy. In: Partnerships in Birds, Jeff Black (ed). Oxford University Press, pp. 21-52. Gowaty, P. A. 1997. Principles of females' perspectives in avian behavioral ecology. Journal of Avian Biology 28: 95-102. |ABSTRACT| BOAKE Boake, C.R.B., M. DeAngelis, & D. Andreadis. 1997. Is sexual selection and species recognition a continuum? Mating behavior of the stalk-eyed fly Drosophila heteroneura. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA 94:12442-12445. |ABSTRACT|FULL TEXT| Boake, C.R.B. 2000. Flying apart: Speciation in Hawaiian Drosophila. BioScience 50(6):501-508. Readings for Seminar: Gavrilets, S. & C.R.B. Boake. 1998. On the evolution of premating isolation after a founder event. American Naturalist 152(5):706-716. |ABSTRACT| Turner, G.F. & M.T. Burrows. 1995. A model of sympatric speciation by sexual selection. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 260(1359): 287-292. |ABSTRACT| MARKOW Readings for class: Pitnick, S., Spicer, G.S., and T. Markow. 1997. Phylogenetic examination of female incorporation of ejaculate in Drosophila. Evolution 51(3):833-845. Pitnick, S., Markow, T.A., and G. S. Spicer. 1995. Delayed male maturity is a cost of producing large sperm in Drosophila. Proceedings National Academy of Science USA 92(23):10614-10618. |ABSTRACT| FULL TEXT| Readings for seminar: Markow, T.A., Raphael, B., Dobberfuhl, D., Breitmeyer, C.M., Elser, J.J., and E. Pfeiler. 1999. Elemental stoichiometry of Drosophila and their hosts. Functional Ecology 13(1):78-84. |ABSTRACT| Markow, T.A. 1997. Assortative fertilization in Drosophila. Proceedings National Academy of Science USA 94(15):7756-7760. |ABSTRACT| FULL TEXT| ENDLER Endler, J.A. 1978. A predator's view of animal color patterns. Evolutionary Biology 11:319-364. Endler, J.A. 1990. On the measurement and classification of color in studies of animal colour patterns. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, London 41:315-352. Endler, J.A. 1993. The color of light in forests and its implications. Ecological Monographs 63:1-27. |ABSTRACT| Supplimental Readings -- NOT REQUIRED: Endler, J.A. 1984. Progressive background matching in moths, and a quantitative measure of crypsis. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, London 22:187-231. Endler, J.A. 1991. Variation in the appearance of guppy color patterns to guppies and their predators under different visual conditions. Vision Research 31:587-608. |ABSTRACT| Endler, J.A. 1992. Signals, signal conditions, and the direction of evolution. American Naturalist 139: S125-S153. |ABSTRACT| Endler, J.A. 1993. Some general commments on the evolution and design of animal communication systems. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, Series B 340:215-225. |ABSTRACT| Endler, J.A., and M. Thery. 1996. Interacting effects of lek placement, display behavior, ambient light and color patterns in three neotropical forest-dwelling birds. American Naturalist 148:421-452. |ABSTRACT| Endler, J.A. 1997. Light, behavior and conservation of forest-dwelling organisms. In: J.R. Clemmons and R. Buchholz (eds.), Behavioral approaches to conservation in the wild (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), pp. 329-355. |
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F A L L 2 0 0 0 C L A S S S C H E D U L E Meeting Time: 1:00-2:15 pm, Tuesdays & Thursdays Location: Jordan Hall, Room A514 Public Lectures: Fridays 4:00-5:15 pm, Jordan Hall, Room A100 (see below) Plus: Informal meetings and meals with visiting speakers; some Friday evening receptions; TBA August 29 -- Lecture: Introduction to Behavioral Ecology August 31 -- Student Presentations and Discussion September 5 -- Lecture: The Study of Adaptation September 7 -- Student Presentations and Discussion September 12 -- Preparation for Patty Gowaty September 14 -- Patty Gowaty Seminar: Fireants and Constrained Female Bluebirds September 15 -- Patricia Gowaty Public Talk: Offspring Viability Selection & Components of Fitness in Drosophila pseudoobscura & Mus musculus September 19 -- Lecture: Sexual Selection, Social Selection, and Speciation September 21 -- Student Presentations and Discussion September 26 -- Preparation for Chris Boake September 28 -- Chris Boake Seminar: Sexual Selection and Speciation September 29 -- Chris Boake Public Talk: Flying Apart: Sexual Selection and Speciation in Hawaiian Drosophila October 3 -- Lecture: Sexual Selection, Male-Male Competition, Mate Choice October 5 -- Student Presentations and Discussion October 10 -- Lecture: Sexual Selection, Immunocompetence, Condition October 12 --Student Presentations and Discussion October 17 -- Preparation for Teri Markow October 19 -- Teri Markow Seminar: Operational Sexual Ratios and the Sites of Sexual Selection in Drosophila" October 20 -- Teri Markow Public Talk: How Drosophila Males Make Eggs: It's Elemental October 24 -- Lecture: Sensory Ecology October 26 -- Student Presentations and Discussion October 31 -- Preparation for John Endler November 2 -- John Endler Seminar: Perception and How to Measure Colors November 3 -- John Endler Public Talk: Interacting Effects of Ambient Light, Microhabitat Choice, Animal Color Patterns and Vision in Determining the Direction of Sexual Selection November 7 -- Lecture: Parental Behavior, Development, Intergenerational Effects [ Election Day ] November 9 -- Student Presentations and Discussion November 14 -- Lecture: Use of Space, Dispersal, Migration November 16 -- Student Presentations and Discussion November 21 -- Thanksgiving holiday November 23 -- Thanksgiving holiday November 28 -- Lecture: Human Behavioral Ecology November 30 -- Student Presentations and Discussion December 5 -- Retrospective I: Lecture December 7 -- Retrospective II: Student Perspective |
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