Behavioural ecology

biology

elective courses
obligatory courses

Field Ecology 1400-114EKOT-M
General Ecology 1400-112EKOO

The subject covers issues in the broadly understood behavioral ecology of vertebrate and invertebrate animals and is implemented in the form of lectures and exercises. The practical part is divided into two parts, each being a semestral research project involving field observations or laboratory experiments.

Classroom and field classes

Issues discussed at the lecture: Signalling, behaviour and intelligence of plants. Elements of neurobiology, endocrinology and behavioural genetics. The debate nature vs. nurture. Ways of perception of the environment by animals, communication. The evolution of cooperation, altruism. Movement: exploration, navigation, migration, dispersion, homing. Individual and economic decisions, optimizing the behaviour (including food). Defense against predators. Sexual selection. Gender conflict. Systems reproductive and care of offspring: promiscuity and its consequences, monogamy ("infidelity"), polygyny (including optional), polyandry. Alternative reproductive strategies. The behaviour of animals in zoos and in captivity.

During the trainings, students in teams carry out two independent research projects involving field observations or laboratory experiments.

Trainings

Part in the Department of Hydrobiology

Students in teams of 2 or 3 carry out a research project. All projects focus on the relationship between the organism and its physical or biotic environment. Depending on the research problem and the subject, projects may be based on field observations in urban space or laboratory experiments. Research problems, hypotheses and proposed research methods are discussed during group meetings, and the project ends with the preparation of a written report. The subject of research may be:

a. Reproductive behavior of aquatic crustaceans from urban populations. b. Predator avoidance by aquatic animals. c. Behavior of blue or great tits in the gradient of urbanization. d. Foraging in cats or ravens from the Warsaw population. e. Interindividual differences in behavior within the population (animal personality). f. Distribution of aquatic animals in gradients of environmental conditions. Projects can be implemented in collaboration with active research groups.

Part in Department of Ecology

Students in teams (four persons each) realize research projects. They make observations of the behaviour of selected bird and mammal species exposed in zoological garden and analyse their social interactions and time budget.

The titles of selected research projects:

• The time budget and social interactions among two gorilla males in Warsaw Zoological Garden

• The time budget of individuals newly introduced to the group of chimpanzees and their social interactions with selected group members

Mackenzie A, Ball A.S.,Virdee S.R. - Instant Notes Ecology. BIOS Scientific Publishers. 2001

Krebs J.R, Davies N. B. - An Itroduction to Behavioural Ecology. Blackwell Science. 1993

Krebs J. CH. - Ecology. The Experimental Analysis of distribution and Abundance. Benjamin Cummings. 2009

Alcock J. - Animal behaviour: an evolutionary approach. Sinauer Associates, Inc. 2001

Danchin E. i in. (ed.) Behavioural ecology. Oxford University Press 2008, 2012

Behavioural Ecology

After completing the course, the student:

- knows selected theoretical and practical problems in the field of ecology and evolution in an in-depth degree.

- applies and disseminates the principle of interpreting natural phenomena and processes based on empirical data resulting from conducted research.

- knows the principles of research planning based on the achievements of the scientific discipline presented in the scientific literature.

- is able to formulate and solve scientific problems by conducting experiments, proper selection of literature sources and advanced research methods and their critical evaluation in the light of current and acquired knowledge in the field of ecology and evolution.

- is able to manage his own work and the scientific team conducting research in the field of ecology and evolution.

- is ready to critically evaluate scientific and popular science content.

- is ready to conduct activities popularizing science.

Exercises:

Part 1. Evaluation based on: the realization of the succecive steps of the project 20%, the participation in the joint discussions 20%, the written project proposal 20%, the written report on the research 20% and the review of a research report 20%.

Part 2. Evaluation based on prepared and delivered seminars (presentations):

- Introduction to the biology of the species to which the project will be implemented by the student

- Presentation of the results of the project.

The final grade is the average of grades received from both parts.

Lecture: Written examination.