Duration
20h Th
Number of credits
| Master in biology of organisms and ecology (120 ECTS) | 3 crédits | |||
| Master in psychology (120 ECTS) | 3 crédits |
Lecturer
Coordinator
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The lectures aim to provide functional explanations to the complexity of behavioural patterns exhibited in varied environmental situations. It explains how behaviours contribute to the 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.
- Chapter 1: main concepts in behavioural ecology.
- Chapter 2: choice of feeding patches, dietary items and reproductive habitas.
- Chapter 3: sexual dimorphism, mate choice, intra-sexual selection, sex roles, public information, mating systems, alternative mating tactics, and sperm competition.
- Chapter 4: interactions with conspecifics (parental care, life in groups, cooperation, altruism)
- Chapter 5: personality traits and behavioural syndromes
- Chapitre 6: dispersal ecology, including dispersal syndromes
Anthropogenic disturbers will be considered to illustrate various concepts and may be the object of a special section.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
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.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
It is useful to have bases in ecology and ethology.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The lectures are mainly based on power points made available on ecampus. Examples illustrate the various presented concepts.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Additional information:
The lectures are given in the first quadrimester.
Recommended or required readings
The Power-Point slides and the table of contents of the lectures are available on ecampus for the registered students. Book recomendations are available on ecampus (without obligation). Website of the laboratory: https://www.leca.uliege.be
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam ( open-ended questions ) AND oral exam
Additional information:
The evaluation is planned to be based on an oral exam. It is based on the whole matter. It is important to well now the graphs and to provide detailed and comprehensive replies.
Work placement(s)
Organizational remarks
The lectures start in October. Additional details can be communicated by e-mail or in e-campus to the registered students
Contacts
Prof. Mathieu Denoël
Laboratory of Ecology and Conservation of Amphibians
University of Liege
E-mail: Mathieu.Denoel[a]uliege.be and laurane.winandy [a] uliege.be