Behavioural Ecology

The course Behavioural Ecology provides insight into how evolution through natural selection shapes behaviour of animals (domestic or wild, vertebrate or invertebrate). The course includes acquiring theoretical knowledge, searching scientific information, critical reading of literature, observation and presentation of results. The acquired knowledge is directly applied in a short research project on captive or wild animals - depending on the opportunities; these can be either invertebrates or vertebrates.

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:

• use evolutionary concepts to explain animal behaviour;
• define and apply the four questions of Tinbergen in behavioural issues;
• apply the basic behavioural and ecological skills of observation and (statistical) data analysis;
• plan, perform, and finalize a small behavioural ecological research project;
• present the results of a research project in a scientific report and oral presentation

Assumed Knowledge:
BHE20303 Animal Behaviour (if you did not follow this course, we highly recommend the free online MOOC "introduction to Animal Behaviour": https://www.wur.nl/en/show/introduction-to-animal-behaviour.htm). Without this background knowledge this course will be difficult.