E105 25374 Introduction to Animal Behavior (Martins) (BIOL) (N & M) (3 cr.)
People are fascinated by animal behavior, as evidenced, for example, by the popularity of animal behavior in nature films and television. The study of animal behavior is an interdisciplinary effort which brings together biological and social scientists at the forefront of several important modern challenges in the sciences. Complex behavior is at the core of learning, memory, and many of the problems studied by the biomedical community. Environmental contaminants such as endocrine disruptors have their main influence by impacting reproductive behavior and development. Environmental stressors such as crowding can influence social interactions which in turn affect which animals are able to mate and the genetic diversity of endangered species. More recently, as we try to understand the developmental translation between gene sequences and adult phenotypes, researchers are relying on animal behavior to provide powerful examples of complex traits. In this course, we explore different forms of animal behavior and the ways in which they are studied.
Some goals of this course are:

to review current knowledge resulting from the scientific study of animal behavior to promote critical thinking about animal behavior through review of the public media (newspapers, nature films, etc.)
to compare and contrast the various disciplines through which animal behavior is most commonly studied
to consider how animal behavior research might be used to address practical problems in local non-profit organizations (e.g., Indianapolis Zoo, Wonderlab).

The course will meet twice weekly. Each week, there will be one lecture period in which we discuss readings from the textbook and elsewhere about animal behavior research. The second lecture period will be devoted to special events, including nature movies, guest lectures and exams. In addition to the usual midterm and final examinations, we will make use of several innovative teaching tools:

Expert Reports – written summaries of the lives and research efforts of working scientists. To write these summaries, students will attend public lectures by distinguished visiting scientists and/or conduct personal interviews.
Public Media Critiques – written critiques of specific statements made in newspaper articles and nature shows. Critiques will include a brief summary of the experiments that would be needed to support those statements.
On-line Behavior Modules – use of interactive workshops and games developed by educators at the University of Arizona that illustrate important research in the study of animal behavior.
Applied Internship Proposals – poster and oral presentations describing internship possibilities which combine the needs of local non-profit organizations and animal behavior knowledge gained during this course.