Evolutionary & Behavioural Ecology (BS359)
MODULE HANDBOOK
University of Essex
Department of Biological Sciences
2011-2012
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BS359-6-AU-09-CO
EVOLUTIONARY AND BEHAVIOURAL ECOLOGY
Department/Centre: Biological Sciences
Essex Credit: 15
IP credit: FY = 4 credits, AU = 3 credits, AU/SP = 3 credits
Pre-Requisites:
Co-Requisites:
Pre or Co Requisites:
Supervisor: Dr Aulay Mackenzie
Teaching Staff: Dr Aulay Mackenzie
Module is taught during the following terms:
Autumn
Module Description:
Why does each fig have its own fig wasp ? Why are peacocks brighter than peahens? Why
don't turtles have sex in the sea ? Why are there so many species of beetles ? Does a
peacock's tail serve as an indicator of the quality of his genes ? These are the kinds of
questions that we will attempt to answer in this course : the origin, maintenance and
diversity of organisms and the pressures which shape their form and behaviour. The
emphasis of the course will be on evaluating empirical evidence, rather than theoretical
mathematics. We will span a range of areas, from evolutionary arms races to coevolution;
from courtship and mating behaviour to fighting and parent-offspring conflicts; from animal
communication to the mass extinction of dinosaurs.
Learning Outcomes:
To pass this module students will need to be able to:
1. discuss the evolutionary processes shaping organisms;
2. discuss how these evolutionary processes link with proximal ecological influences and
constraints;
3. discuss how these evolutionary processes have influenced phenomena such as life
histories, sex, mate choice, parental care, altruism, conflicts, aggregation and speciation,
with particular emphasis on animal species;
4. demonstrate ability to extract information from primary sources;
5. demonstrate ability to analyse and interpret data.
Learning & Teaching Methods:
Lectures: 18 x 1hr including a total of 2hr data analysis and interpretation
Classes: 2 x 1hr
Student managed learning: 130 hrs/module
Total: 150 hrs
Assessment:
100 percent Course Work Mark
2
Course Work:
1) Presentation
 Powerpoint presentation on selected primary source
2) Data analysis and interpretation
 Time-limited DAI
3) Review
 Structured review of selected topic areas (2,000 words)
35%
25%
40%
Bibliography:
Danchin, E. Giraldeau, L.-A. & Cézilly, F., 2008, Behavioural Ecology. Oxford.
Alcock, J., 2001, Animal behavior - an evolutionary approach. Sinauer Mass.
Krebs, J.R. and Davies, N.B., 1993, An introduction to behavioural ecology. 3rd edition,
Blackwell, Oxford.
McFarland, D., 2003, Animal Behaviour. Longman, Harlow.
Pianka, E.R., 1994, Evolutionary ecology, Harper Collins, New York.
Ridley, M., 1993, Evolution, Blackwell, Oxford.
Stearns, S.C. and Hoekstra, R.F., 2005, Evolution: an introduction. OUP Oxford.
Other Information:
Coursework deadlines
1) Presentation – individual to each student – see handbook p5;
2) DAI – 4pm Friday week 7 (18 Nov 2011); Deadline date TBC
3) Review – 10am Tuesday week 16 (17 Jan 2012) Deadline date TBC
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LECTURE LIST
There will be nine 2-hour sessions :
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Evolutionary arms races - predators versus prey Cryptic prey Warning colouration how does it evolve ? Mimicry - joining the club or hiding in the forest ? Brood
parasitism Plant-herbivore coevolution
Phenotypic plasticity and life history evolution Reaction norms and phenotypic
plasticity. Genetic and phenotypic correlations. Optimizing growth schedules. Complex
life cycles - dead-end or optima? Senescence - why grow old ?
The evolution and maintenance of sex The paradox of the prevalence of sex. The twofold cost of sex. Mechanistic advantages of sex. The benefits of variation - Red Queens
and Tangled Banks. The distribution of asexual taxa
Sexual selection The evolution of elaborate ornaments. Fishers “runaway” model. The
handicap & “good genes” models. Courtship rituals. Sex ratios Females as a depletable
resource. Sex ratio evolution. Local mate competition. Local resource competition.
Sex ratios Females as a depletable resource. Sex ratio evolution. Local mate
competition. Local resource competition.
Parental care and breeding systems When should parents invest in care? Does
mother or father do the child care, or both? Leks - male mating aggregations.
Monogamy, polygyny, polyandry: what shapes the balance of male to female inputs?
Conflict When to fight and when to acquiesce. Respecting ownership. The costs of
fighting. The war of attrition - the waiting game. Conflict between worker and queen,
between genomic elements, between sexes, between mother and offspring.
Co-operation Kin selection How to recognise kin? Mutualism The Prisoner’s dilemma
- how can co-operation evolve? Better be a hawk or a dove? - Evolutionary Stable
Strategies. Co-operation in birds, mammals and fish Altruism in social insects : ants,
bees, termites and aphids.
Speciation and ecology How are species formed? Allopatric and sympatric models
Reinforcement of reproductive isolation Why are there so many species? Where do
species go – extinctions
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Timetable
Session
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Presentation Date
Evolutionary arms
races
Phenotypic plasticity
The evolution and
maintenance of sex
Sexual selection
Sex ratios
Parental care and
breeding systems
Conflict
Cooperation
Speciation
A
Emma Foster
A
William Farren
A
Jenny Hedges
B
Danny Wales
B
Daniel Perlaki
B
David Spensley
C
Daniel Wilson
C
Rebecca Diggins
C
Mary Colledge
D
Jennifer Benjamin
D
Matthew Woodrow
D
Stuart Brooker
E
Nicki Lambeth
E
Kelly Murphy
F
Camilla Mjaseth
F
Chrystalla Iosif
G
Joseph Walker
G
Scott Warren
G
Ellen Quinton
Presentation
Review
Week 4
Group A
Groups E & F
Week 4
Week 5
Week 5
Group B
Group C
Group D
Groups A & C
Groups B & D
Groups A & E
Week 6
Week 6
Week 8
Group E
Group F
Group G
Groups B &G
Groups C &G
Groups D & F
-
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LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Discuss the processes involved in animals aggregating
Explain how an optimal group size may be reached evolutionarily
Discuss the nature of evolutionary arms races
Discuss the processes of the evolution of crypsis and mimicry
Discuss the processes involved in plant-herbivore coevolution
Discuss the phenomenon of brood parasitism
Explain how life histories are determined by a suite of constraints, and be able to discuss
how evolutionary optima for life history strategies are approached
8. Explain the terms “reaction norms” and “phenotypic plasticity” and their evolutionary
significance.
9. Discuss the evolution of complex lifecycles
10. Advance alternative explanations for the occurrence of senescence.
11. Discuss explanations for the evolution of, and persistence of, sex
12. Describe, and be able to advance explanations for, the distribution of asexual taxa.
13. Discuss the Red Queen theory
14. Explain Fisher’s Sex Ratio theory, and discuss deviations from it
15. Discuss local mate competition and local resource competition
16. Discuss sexual selection and the evolution of epigamic ornaments
17. Discuss sexual selection theory - Fishers “runaway”, handicap & “good genes”
18. Discuss the evolution of breeding systems, and the ecological processes involved in
determining whether a. monogamous, polygynous, or polyandrous strategy is adopted by a
population.
19. Discuss variation in the patterns of parental care found across animal populations.
20. Discuss the evolution of altruism, with reference to kin selection Discuss the processes
which have determined the pattern of aggregative altruistic behaviour found in species of
ants, bees, termites and aphids.
21. Describe how co-operation can evolve without relatedness between the co-operating
individuals.
22. Discuss causes and patterns of conflict
23. Describe the allopatric and sympatric models of speciation and discuss purported
examples.
24. Discuss the reinforcement of reproductive isolation.
25. Discuss species extinctions
26. Demonstrate that you can gather information from a suite of primary reference sources to
synthesize and communicate a broad understanding of a subject area.
27. Demonstrate that you can interpret and analyse research data
READING LIST
The main reading sources are the primary literature in the reading lists (provided on the
CMR). However, the texts on p1 provide some useful background.
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COURSEWORK
1) Presentation (35%)
The requirement is a Powerpoint presentation, being a summary of a paper from the reading
list or an agreed alternative (email me if you want to suggest a paper not on the list) or a
summary of a small collection of associated papers. You have been allocated a subject and a
date to deliver the presentations – see p5 of this handbook.
Please avoid duplicating coverage of papers amongst yourselves.
For each presentation, you should create and deliver a Powerpoint slideshow to last 10
minutes to summarize the paper(s) and contextualize it within the subject area.
Marks will be awarded for:
Clarity of understanding
Clarity of description of methodology and results
Good use of colour
Good use of diagrams and figures
Clear, coherent speaking
Good responses to questions
Provision of handouts – Powerpoint slides and/or supplementary notes



Please email the material to me [[email protected]], by the end of the day before
the session.
Name the files after the papers they summarize in the format [first author][year].ppt,
i.e. Pomiankowski (2001) would appear as “Pomiankowski2001.ppt”.
Please make sure your name appears on the title page!
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