Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2020 - BISC 410 D100

Behavioral Ecology (3)

Class Number: 1442

Delivery Method: Distance Education

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Tue, 8:30–10:20 a.m.
    Burnaby

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Fri, 8:30–9:20 a.m.
    Burnaby

  • Exam Times + Location:

    Dec 12, 2020
    Sat, 3:30–6:30 p.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    BISC 102 and either BISC 204 or GEOG 215, all with a grade of C- or better.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An introduction to the evolution of behavior and its adaptiveness in a natural context.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is about understanding why animals behave the way they do. We will consider a wide variety of behaviours (social behaviour, foraging decisions, mate choice, parental care, life-history strategies, territoriality, altruism) and seek to understand them as the product of evolution, using the concepts of Darwinian selection and adaptation as theoretical cornerstones. We will briefly discuss the evolution of human behaviour. After becoming familiar with the approaches and methods of behavioural ecology, students will get a chance to complete their own scientific inquiry into animal behaviour. You will never look at an animal in the same way!

Mode of teaching
Lecture-   Tuesday -asynchronous (recorded) + synchronous hour for review
               Friday - asynchronous (recorded) + synchronous hour for review
               1 hour review/week recommended but not mandatory
Tutorial-   synchronous (mandatory)
Office hours with TA/instructor - synchronous
 
Midterm - synchronous (open book) - Tues Oct 13 - 830-1030 PST 
Final - synchronous (open book) - TBA

Hardware/software requirements
Access to high-speed internet
Computer/notebook/tablet with webcam
Headset/earbuds with microphone

Grading

  • Tutorial Presentation (mandatory) 10%
  • Tutorial Participation (mandatory) 10%
  • Case Studies/Problem sets (mandatory) 30%
  • Midterm (mandatory) 15%
  • Final Exam (0-35%) 17.5%
  • Project (0-35%) 17.5%

NOTES:

You will in this course be able to choose how to weight your grade between the final exam and a project. I’ll post details on CANVAS and describe the procedure live on Friday, 11 September 2020 and again Tues, 15 September 2020. Full project details will be posted on CANVAS and discussed in tutorial. Grade weighting procedures have as a consequence that letter grades are more competitive, because class members can skew the grade allocation toward their individual strengths.  

Your decision about grade weighting is due Tues 6 October 2020. By then you’ll have had enough exposure to the course material to decide the weighting best for you.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Access to high-speed internet
Computer/notebook/tablet with webcam
Headset/earbuds with microphone

REQUIRED READING:

Davies, Krebs & West (2012).  An Introduction to Behavioural Ecology, 4th Edition. Wiley-

Available electronically through the library. The book can be read online and chapters can be downloaded as pdfs.
ISBN: 978-1-4051-1416-5

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).