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Lecturer(s)
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Sedláček František, prof. RNDr. CSc.
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Poláková Simona, Mgr.
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Course content
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This is a multi-day field course on which night trapping of small terrestrial mammals takes place. It will include comments on selective animal capture of wild rodents and laboratory tests of personality traits of trapped animals. Determination of the personality traits in individals will be the main result: the shy-bold continuum, or other axes of personality traits (exploratory - philopatric) of behaviour. During the field practicum, there will be lectures concerning the topic: What is and what is not personality, Personality in rodents, Repeatability of behaviour, Personality and metabolism, Statistical methods for personality detection. Used traps and test arenas, as well as, the PowerPoint lectures are stored with the course leader.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Dialogic (discussion, interview, brainstorming), Demonstration, Skills training, Excursion
- Field trip
- 50 hours per semester
- Class attendance
- 50 hours per semester
- Preparation for classes
- 8 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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The main aim is to introduce the topic of intraspecific behavioural variability in animal populations and the methodology for determination it. Special attention will be focused on animal personality traits as a part of life-history strategy of individuals. This knowledge is essential for morphological, physiological and genetic studies of wild animals.
After completing the course, students will be able to include in their own research the issue of behavioral variability and its determination in the observed population of animals.
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Prerequisites
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For students interested in animal behaviour, population biology and microevolutionary mechanisms, that passed the basic bachelor course "KZO/159 Biology of animal behaviour".
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Analysis of student's work activities (technical works), Interview, Systematic student observation
To complete the course, basic knowledge and skills in standardised trapping, testing, and statistical processing of results will be required.
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Recommended literature
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Carere C., Maestripieri D. (eds.). Animal Personalities. The University of Chicago Press, 2013. ISBN 978-0-226-92197-6.
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Dugatkin L.A. Principles of animal behavior.. W.W. Norton & Company, 2004.
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Westnear D.F., Fox C.W. (eds.). Evolutionary Behavioral Ecology. Oxford University Press, 2010. ISBN 978-0-19-533193-6.
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