BIOS 317 - Lab Module in Behavior
The purpose of this laboratory is to teach critical thinking and hypothesis testing as applied to animal behavior. For study organisms we use the birds on campus, focusing on mockingbirds, and yellow-crowned night herons.
BIOS 321 - Animal Behavior
This course is about understanding why organisms evolve to act the way they do. In it we focus on social behaviors, and on understanding conflict and cooperation. How do genetically distinct individuals cooperate while still favoring their own interests? We take an evolutionary approach, not a mechanistic one, though the mechanistic material is available in the Alcock textbook in unused chapters. We study the evolution of aggression, mating behavior, parental care, communication, and the complexities of living in groups and families. We will learn how natural selection operates on individuals in a social context. We study less material in more depth, with many videos. This class is a lot of work, a lot of fun, and you will never look at an animal in the same way. We will be using OWL-Space extensively.
BIOS 334 - Evolution
Principles of biological evolution. Topics include natural selection, adaptation, molecular evolution, formation of new species, the fossil record, biogeography, and principles of classification.
BIOS 337 Field Bird Biology Lab
The Houston area, and the Texas coast offers some of the greatest avian diversity in the world. This course takes advantage of this diversity by introducing students to birds, teaching them how to observe and monitor birds, with an introduction to avian ecology, behavior and conservation. The course is centered on field trips and student projects.
BIOS 562 Topics in Behavioral Ecology
Review and discussion of the literature on current research in animal behavior and evolution.