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Lecturer(s)
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Sedláček František, prof. RNDr. CSc.
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Course content
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Content of lectures 1) Introduction - topic explanation, terms, literature, course structure. 2) Sources of behavioral variation - genes versus environment. 3) Variation in structure and function of neural system - synaptic receptors, mediators, metabolism. 4) Behavioral stability in time and across situations - personality, behavioral syndromes, coping styles, homology of behavioral traits. 5) Behavioral plasticity - cognitive abilities and learning - task solutions, conditioning, individual strategies, animal traditions. 6) Polyethism and hormonal changes - social systems, casts, age, sex cycles, photoperiodicity, masculinization, feminization, stress. 7) Influence of diseases - unspecific and specific changes, parasites, toxoplasmosis, manipulation hypothesis. 8) Sampling - protocols, live-traps, day time, transport, cryptic species, syntopic versus sympatric occurrence, hybrid zone. 9) Laboratory animals - breeding, selection, domestication, strains, housing conditions, nutrition. 10) Interpretation of published data, physiological and medical research - central values, standard deviation versus standard error, outlier. 11) Data processing - file size, repeatability, influence of population, family, specimen. 12) Experimental design - preparation of experimental devices and animals (handling), "hidden" factors.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Dialogic (discussion, interview, brainstorming), Work with text (with textbook, with book), Demonstration
- Preparation for classes
- 45 hours per semester
- Class attendance
- 5 hours per semester
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Learning outcomes
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PhD students introduce to intraspecific behavioral variation in detail and to potentials, how to master the mentioned variability in different behavioral as well as physiological experiments best. Acquired knowledge will serve to extraction of more evident relations between collected data.
From a quantitative point of view it is a two hours per week course for postgraduate students - special course for Ph.D. study field Zoology and Entomology. However with respect to the number of the students the course will be realized by study of assigned chapters and tutorials.
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Prerequisites
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The course is prepared for postgraduate students, it means that the student passed biologically oriented master degree programme at our Faculty of Science or at similar ones.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Written examination, Interim evaluation
By written exam students will be asked to answer several questions concerning the overcoming of problems coupled with behavioural variation in experiments.
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Recommended literature
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Adkins-Regan E. Hormones and Animal Social Behavior.. Princeton University Press., 2005. ISBN 9780691092478.
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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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John O.P., Robins R.W., Pervin L.A. Handbook of Personality. Theory & Research.. The Guilford Press., 2010. ISBN 978-1-60918-059-1.
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Moller A.P., Milinski M., Slater P.J.B. Stress and Behavior. Advances in the Study of Behavior.. Academic Press, San Diego, 1998. ISBN 0-12-004527-3.
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Ploger B.J., Yasukawa K. Exploring Animal Behavior in Laboratory and Field.. Elsevier Science., 2003. ISBN 9780125583305.
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Shettleworth S.J. Cognition, Evolution, and Behavior.. Oxford University Press., 2010. ISBN 978-0-19-531984-2.
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Westneat D.F., Fox C.W. Evolutionary Behavioral Ecology.. Oxford University Press., 2010. ISBN 978-0-19-533192-9.
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