Readings and
Assignments in Animal Behavior at Austin College
The assignments
will be discussed in lecture before they are due. The following list is
in approximate chronological order. New assignments may appear on the
list, and ones that currently appear may not actually be assigned.
Levitis
et al 2009
What are the
goals or purposes of science? What is the purview of science?
What is natural selection? How does natural selection produce
adaptation? (read ch. 4 of On
the Origin of Species)
Who won the
Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1973?
What is
anthropomorphism? Is it something we should practice? Why or why not?
What it
teleology?
What is a
"variable?" What sorts of variables are there?
Consider your
extended family. Are there particular traits that seem to
appear in more than one individual, and thus are probably due to
heredity? These could be morphological as well as behavioral.
Briefly describe
a morphological or behavioral mutant in Drosophila
melanogaster.
Briefly describe
a genetically determined human disease or other
syndrome.
Briefly describe
an animal that exhibits a biological rhythm. Include
the scientific name of the animal in your description.
Phillips et al
What is
communication? What are the functions of communication?
Briefly describe
a morphological, physiological, or behavioral
difference between males and females.
What is the essence of sexual reproduction?
Buss
reading
Briefly
describe the breeding system of Cliff Swallows.
Briefly
describe the breeding system of Florida Scrub Jays or Acorn Woodpeckers.
Develop a family tree for either your maternal or paternal
grandparents' extended family.
Honeybee reading
Naked Mole Rat reading