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BIO314Sciences2 Unitsintermediate

Animal Behaviuor

This course introduces students to the theories and principles of animal behavior and ecology. It explores the historical background of ethology, reflex and complex behaviors, orientation, and taxes in animals. Students will learn about fixed action patterns, motivation, drive, learning, communication, and social behavior, including primate social structures and hierarchical organization. The course also covers habitat selection, homing, navigation, courtship, parenthood, and biological clocks.

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80h

Study Time

13

Weeks

6h

Per Week

none

Math Level

Course Keywords

EthologyAnimal BehaviorEcologyCommunicationSocial Behavior

Course Overview

Everything you need to know about this course

Course Difficulty

Intermediate Level

Builds on foundational knowledge

65%

intermediate

📚

Math Level

No Math

📖

Learning Type

Theoretical Focus

Course Topics

Key areas covered in this course

1

Ethology

2

Animal Communication

3

Social Behavior

4

Habitat Selection

5

Navigation

6

Biological Clocks

Total Topics6 topics

Ready to Start

No specific requirements needed

This course is designed to be accessible to all students. You can start immediately without any prior knowledge or specific preparation.

Assessment Methods

How your progress will be evaluated (4 methods)

in-text questions

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

self-assessment exercises

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

tutor-marked assignments

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

final examination

Comprehensive evaluation of course material understanding

Written Assessment

Career Opportunities

Explore the career paths this course opens up for you

Wildlife Biologist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Zoologist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Conservationist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Animal Behaviorist

Apply your skills in this growing field

Environmental Consultant

Apply your skills in this growing field

Industry Applications

Real-world sectors where you can apply your knowledge

Wildlife ConservationEnvironmental ManagementAnimal ResearchEcological ConsultingZoos and Aquariums

Study Schedule Beta

A structured 13-week journey through the course content

Week

1

Module 1 History of Ethology

2h

Unit 1 Historical Background of Ethology

2 study hours

•Read the introduction to ethology and its historical context.
•Define ethology and explain Tinbergen's four questions.
•Discuss examples of emotions and communication in animals.

Week

2

Module 1 History of Ethology

2h

Unit 2 Reflex and Complex bahaviour

2 study hours

•Understand the central and peripheral nervous systems.
•Explain reflex actions and the concept of identified neurons.
•Describe the neural precursors in sponges and nervous systems in radiate and bilateria.

Week

3

Module 1 History of Ethology

2h

Unit 3 Orientation in Animals

2 study hours

•Define orientation in animals and its different forms.
•Discuss kinesis and taxis as forms of locomotor behavior.
•Explain how birds use celestial bearings for orientation.

Week

4

Module 1 History of Ethology

2h

Unit 4 Taxes in Animals

2 study hours

•Define taxes and provide examples such as aerotaxis and chemotaxis.
•Explain phototaxis, thermotaxis, and geotaxis.
•Discuss rheotaxis, magnetotaxis, phonotaxis, and galvanotaxis.

Week

5

Module 1 History of Ethology

2h

Unit 5 Fixed action Pattern, Motivation and Drive

2 study hours

•Explain fixed action patterns (FAP) and their significance.
•Discuss motivation and drives in animal behavior.
•Describe Lorenz's psychohydraulic model and Deutsch's model.

Week

6

Module 2 Learning, Communication and Social Bahvaiour

2h

Unit 1 Display, Displacement Behaviour and Conflict Behaviour

2 study hours

•Explain display and displacement behavior in animals.
•Discuss types of conflict behavior.
•Provide examples of displacement activities in dogs and cats.

Week

7

Module 2 Learning, Communication and Social Bahvaiour

2h

Unit 2 Learning and Communication in Animal

2 study hours

•Understand different types of learning behavior, including habituation and classical conditioning.
•Explain instrumental and latent learning.
•Define communication and discuss visual, acoustic, tactile, and chemical communication.

Week

8

Module 2 Learning, Communication and Social Bahvaiour

2h

Unit 3 Social Behaviour

2 study hours

•Understand social behavior and its importance in animal survival.
•Discuss altruism, kin selection, dominance hierarchies, and agnostic behavior.
•Explain the concept of territory.

Week

9

Module 2 Learning, Communication and Social Bahvaiour

2h

Unit 4 Social Behaviour of Primates

2 study hours

•Understand social structure compositions among primates.
•Discuss single female and offspring groups, monogamous family groups, and polyandrous family groups.
•Explain one-male-several-female groups and multimale-multifemale groups.

Week

10

Module 2 Learning, Communication and Social Bahvaiour

2h

Unit 5 Hierarchical Organisation

2 study hours

•Explain dominance hierarchies and their establishment.
•Discuss dominance and mate competition.
•Describe dominant and submissive displays and hierarchical behavior in spotted hyenas and wolves.

Week

11

Module 3 Habitat Selection, Homing and Navigation and Courtship Behaviour

2h

Unit 1 Physiology of Behaviour

2 study hours

•Explain the physiology of animal behavior and the four approaches to studying it.
•Discuss proximate and ultimate causes of behavior.
•Define anthropomorphism and its limitations.

Week

12

Module 3 Habitat Selection, Homing and Navigation and Courtship Behaviour

4h

Unit 2 Habitat Selection

2 study hours

•Define habitat and habitat selection.
•Discuss different types of habitats, including forests, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, and arctic tundra.
•Explain habitat selection by specific animals like African elephants and penguins.

Unit 3 Homing and Navigation in Birds

2 study hours

•Define homing and navigation.
•Explain factors affecting the initiation of navigation and migration.
•Discuss orientation and navigation methods in animals, including the use of the sun, landmarks, and magnetic fields.

Week

13

Module 3 Habitat Selection, Homing and Navigation and Courtship Behaviour

4h

Unit 4 Courtship bahviour and Parenthood

2 study hours

•Explain courtship behavior and parenthood.
•Discuss courtship rituals in insects, birds, amphibians, and humans.
•Describe mating behaviors in dogs, raccoons, chickens, desert tortoises, and wood turtles.

Unit 5 Biological Clocks

2 study hours

•Explain biological clocks and their mechanisms.
•Discuss circadian clocks and their importance in photoperiod time measurement.
•Differentiate between exogenous and endogenous rhythms.

This study schedule is in beta and may not be accurate. Please use it as a guide and consult the course outline for the most accurate information.

Course PDF Material

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Study Tips & Exam Preparation

Expert tips to help you succeed in this course

1

Create detailed summaries of each unit, focusing on key definitions and examples.

2

Use diagrams and flowcharts to illustrate complex processes like communication and navigation.

3

Practice applying ethological principles to real-world scenarios, such as analyzing animal behavior in a local park.

4

Review all self-assessment exercises and tutor-marked assignments to identify areas needing further study.

5

Focus on understanding the relationships between different topics, such as the link between biological clocks and migration patterns.

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