WFSC 620 (advanced)
VERTEBRATE ETHOLOGY
Course homepage | Syllabus| Lab Workbook| Contingency Workbook
SCHEDULE (updated 3/26/09):
Order textbooks before class starts:
- Required: Lehner, P. 1996. Handbook of Ethological Methods, 2nd edition. ISBN 0-521-63750-3
- Recommended; Dugatkin, L.A. 2009. Principles of Animal Behavior, 2nd edition. ISBN 13-978-0-393-93169-3
Lab TBA: Contact j-pa...@tamu.edu for details; keep up to date by reading 620-BLOG.
1/11-17 Fieldwork at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center BLOG
- 1/11 check in at Wolf Ridge Camp- introductions
- 1/12 Goals & adapt schedule ; Reconnaisance
- 1/13 Researchable questions ;Design of research
- 1/14 Data collection- Ethogram
- 1/15 Data collection- Observer Reliability
- 1/16 Present results to Fossil Rim Staff; Wrap up
- 1/17 Clean up and depart Fossil Rim
Meetings in 104 Nagle Hall (5:30-8:30 pm Tuesdays)
|
Date |
Concepts (Agenda) |
Examples (Agenda) |
Prepare |
|
1/20- 1/23 Jane |
Individual meeting re. topics >Keyword searches >Balance: minds, social, repro, physical topics |
Relate to group project >Preference for specific steps of inquiry cycle >Semester schedule |
Keywords in D: Dugatkin (2008:vii-xv) L: Lehner (1996:6-10) |
|
1/27 Jane |
Goal setting >Individual topics >Fine-tune schedule |
Review preliminary results >video of presentation >discuss & expand team |
D: pp2-117 L: pp1-99 |
|
Terri Michelle |
Repro: parental care >selected bird studies >selected mammal studies |
Design of waterbuck study >inductive/deductive >critique & revise Ex. D |
D: pp227-258 L: pp100-180 |
|
Ian Nanda |
Physical: foraging >selected pinniped studies >selected primate studies |
Data collection- Techniques >techniques overview >observer reliability |
D: pp334-367 L: pp181-214 |
|
2/17 Jenna |
Social/physical: habitat, territories & migration >selected bat studies |
Analyzing results >statistics overview >applied to waterbuck |
Ex H D: pp430-452 L: pp369-421 |
|
2/24 Matt |
Minds: communication >selected bird studies |
Data base >spread sheets >SPSS- stats programs |
Ex. I D: pp400-424 L: pp422-474 |
|
3/3 Ali |
Minds: cooperation >Selected studies of primates >Selected studies of carnivores |
Interpreting results >General: specific >Stats : figures : tables |
Ex. J D: pp294-333 L: pp522-539 |
|
3/9 Renee |
Social: personality & conflict >Selected case studies >Selected applications |
Publishing results >Manuscript (hourglass) >Review & revision >Letter to editor |
Ex. J (con’t) D: pp538-560; 215-222 L: pp321-328 |
·
INDIVIDUAL DUE DATES AFTER SPRING BREAK
- 2/2-4/21 Make-up lab activities scheduled by on-campus team (Renee, Ian, Nanda)
- 3/24 Target journal example article and Instructions for Authors
- 4/2 DUE: Draft manuscript & cover letter to editor for Individual Projects
- 4/16 DUE: Review on partner’s draft manuscript
- 4/21 RECEIVE: “Editor’s comments” on draft manuscript
- 4/31 DUE: Course evaluations @ pica.tamu.edu
- 5/13 DUE: cover letter to editor & revised manuscript
INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS
TIP: Each of our team members will choose a topic that is relevant for their personal learning goals and present their topic to the group. Each person will write up a draft manuscript, have it reviewed (and review another person’s), then revise it as if for submission to a journal. In the past, some students have published their manuscripts. Others prefer to learn from the experience to better prepare themselves for when they have a paper to submit for publication. The first draft is due after Spring Break. Plan to review and revise during the last half of the course, when we do not meet formally to provide flex time for spring field seasons.
2009 Topics
Parental Behavior at Black-capped Vireo Nests- Terri
2008 Topics
The bold and the bountiful: understanding personality can improve reintroduction - Alexa
Factors affecting seasonal reproduction of waterbuck-Krystal Q’s First Draft Manuscript
Behavior of waterbuck calves- Ashley (leader in writing up our group project)
Grassland passerine reproductive behavior- Chris
Parenting experience and reproductive success in cotton-top tamarins- Hollie
Dolphin foraging decisions- Robin
Commentary on Active Communication Network of the Audience Effect in Siamese Fighting Fish, Betta splendens-John