Our aims in this course are to introduce you to the process of adaptation, and to discuss how we test adaptive hypotheses.  We will do this by focussing a number of key issues in behavioural ecology, the study of how natural selection shapes the behaviour of animals. Our lectures are organised into four modules: trade-offs between costs and benefits for survival and reproduction, the principles of animal communication, the evolution of cooperation, and the biology of sex. We consider such questions as: How do individuals balance the need to get food yet avoid predators? How are communication signals designed and what do they mean? What stops animals lying? Why is cooperation potentially beneficial yet its evolution is difficult to understand? When is it advantageous to produce sons or daughters? Why are females choosy when selecting a mate? Why do males care for young in some species but not others?  These areas cover research topics of interest to the strong behavioural ecology group at ANU, and we will include our current research as well as that carried out worldwide. The overall aim of the course is to develop a logical approach that can be applied to understanding and testing any question in evolutionary biology.

The aim of the course is to develop a logical approach that can be applied to thinking about the process of adaptation. Although our focus will be on topics of interest to the strong behavioural ecology group at ANU, we will develop a logical approach that can be applied to understanding any question in biology. The generic skills we expect you to obtain in this course are the abilities to:

1. recognise when behaviour poses difficulties for accepted wisdom and theory
2. think strategically on how to formulate and test hypotheses to further investigate such anomalies
3. communicate problems and their solutions to both an intelligent public and a community of informed scientists
4. read the literature critically to assimilate views on new findings and present these views in writing.

• Essay and short-answer written exercises (50%; LO 1-4)
• Final examination (50%; LO 1-3)

3 hours of lectures per week plus 2-hour tutorial sessions as required.

BIOL2151 or BIOL2131 or PSYC2007, or agreement of coordinator.

BIOL3031

BIOL3132 recommended for practical experience of research.

Prescribed Text:

Information about prescribed texts will be made available on http://studyat.anu.edu.au/