This course will help you understand the remarkable behaviors of animals from an evolutionary perspective. We will explore how scientists study animal behavior and evaluate the scientific rigor of animal behavior studies. We will draw on examples from across the animal kingdom to illustrate the complex mechanisms underlying behavioral adaptations, with a focus on how behavior is shaped by the evolutionary forces of natural and sexual selection. Topics include the acquisition of resources, enemy avoidance, mate choice, communication, and parental care and social behavior. We will also examine the roles of genes, the environments, and learning in regulating behavioral diversity, as well as in the domestication process.
