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ZOOL0213-1

Advanced Questions on Ethology


Duration :15h Th, 15h Pr
Credits/ECTS :
2nd "licence" in biological sciences (zoology)4
1st "licence" in Psychology 3
Holder(s) :Mathieu Denoël
Course contents : The course is a complement to the general course of ethology given in the first cycle. It focuses on behavioural ecology and gives functional explanations to the complexity of behavioural patterns exhibited in varied environmental situations. The course explains how behaviours contribute to survival and reproductive success of individuals and how the observed tactics and strategies have been selected. Optimality and maximalisation are of primary importance in this perspective. After a general introduction (first lecture), the course is divided in three main chapters: resource exploitation (lecture 2), reproductive systems (lectures 3 to 6) and interactions (lecture 7).

- Chapter 1: main concepts and methods in behavioural ecology.

- Chapter 2: choice of feeding patches, dietary items, reproductive habitat, and dispersion.

- Chapter 3: sexual dimorphism, mate choice, intra-sexual selection, sex roles, public information, mating systems, parental care, alternative mating tactics, and sperm competition.

- Chapter 4: interactions with conspecifics (life in groups, cooperation, altruism)
Course objective : The aim of the course is to explain relations among behaviour, ecology and evolution in a perspective of optimality and selection. It consists in explaining theories in behavioural ecology on diversity of behavioural patterns and in illustrating them with empirical data from varied zoological groups.
Prerequisites : It is useful to have bases in ecology, ethology and evolution.
Workshops : Bibliographic report on a specific topic in behavioural ecology
Organization : The lectures are given in Jeuniaux room (Institute of Zoology, Quai van Beneden 22) for students in biological sciences and in the Polyvalente room (Sart-Tilman Campus, Building B32) for students in psychological sciences.
Written notes : The Power-Point slides and the table of contents of the lectures are available on the web site of the Behavioural Biology Unit http://www.etho.ulg.ac.be/denoel/cours.html
Assessment : The evaluation is based on an oral exam on the lectures and on a bibliographic report on a specific topic in behavioural ecology
Contacts : Mathieu Denoël
Behavioural Biology Unit
Institute of Zoology (Bât. I1)
University of Liege
Quai van Beneden 22
4020 Liège

E-mail: Mathieu.Denoel@ulg.ac.be

Items online :
Access to lecture notes
This link gives access to the web page of the course of advanced questions in ethology (behavioural ecology).

The lecture notes in pdf format can be downloaded individually.

A detailed table of contents and a bibliographic list are also available.




ULg : Students and Studies Administration - Academic Affairs
Contact : Monique Marcourt, direction A.E.E.
Date of data : 18/05/2007
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