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Animal Behaviour Course Overview

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  • Introduction and Significance of Study of Animal Behaviour
  • Concepts and Patterns: Mechanism of Behaviour
  • Approach and Methods
  • Pheromones
  • Biological Clocks
  • Orientation

Course Content:

Theory [Credits: 4] 60hrs

Unit_1: Introduction to Animal Behaviour 8 hrs


Origin and history of Ethology: Pioneers of Modern Ethology: Karl von Frisch, Ivan Pavlov,
Konrad Lorenz, Niko Tinbergen: Proximate and ultimate causes of behaviour; tools,
techniques and methods used in studying animal behaviour
(Chapter 1, 2: Alcock: Section 2.3, 3.1, 3.2: McFarland)
Unit 2: Patterns of Behaviour 10 hrs
Stereotyped behaviours (Orientation, Reflexes): Individual behavioural patterns; Instinct
versus Learned behaviour; Associative learning. Classical and Operant conditioning.
Habituation, Imprinting
(Part 2 &3: McFarland; Chapter 2, 5: Manning)

55

Unit 3: Social and Sexual Behaviour 15 hrs


Social Behaviour: Concept of Society. Communication and the senses (Chemical, Tactile,
Auditory, Visual): Altruism, Inclusive fitness, Hamilton's rule; Insects' society (Example:
Honey bee); Foraging in honey bee and advantages of the waggle dance.
Sexual Behaviour: Asymmetry of sex, Sexual dimorphism, Mate choice, Intra-sexual
selection (male rivalry), Inter-sexual selection (female choice), Courtship behaviour; Parental
care, sexual conflict in parental care.
(Chapter 2, 3, 4, 7 and 9: Alcock)
Unit 4: Introduction to Chronobiology 6 hrs
Historical developments in chronobiology. Biological oscillation: the concept of Average,
amplitude. phase and period. Adaptive significance of biological clocks
(Chapter 2: Vinod Kumar; Chapter 1, 2: Dunlap et al; Chapter l: Saunders)
Unit 5: Biological Rhythm 13 hrs
Characteristics of biological rhythms; Short-and Long-term rhythms: Circadian rhythms:
Tidal rhythms and Lunar rhythms:; Concept of synchronization and masking: Photic and non
photic zeitgebers: Circannual rhythms; Photoperiod and regulation of seasonal reproduction
of vertebrates; Role of melatonin.
(Chapter 2., 3, 4: Dunlap et al; Chapter 16, 17, 20: Vinod Kumar: Chapter 9: Saunders)
Unit 6: Biological Clocks 8 hrs
Relevance of biological clocks: Chronopharmacology. Chronomedicine, Chronotherapy
(Chapter 2, 3and 4: Dunlap et al: Chapter l6, 17, 20: Vinod Kumar; Chapter 9: Saunders)
Practical [Credits: 2]
1. To study nests and nesting behaviour of the birds and social insects.
2. To study the behavioural responses of wood lice to dry and humid conditions.
3. To study geotaxis behaviour in carthworm phototaxis behaviour in insect larvae.
4. Study of courtship behaviour in birds and insects from short videos/films.
5. Visit to Forest/Wild life Sanctuary/Biodiversity Park/Zoological Park to study and record
the behavioural activities of animals and prepare a short report.
6. Study and actogram construction of locomotor activity of suitable animal models.
7. To study circadian functions in humans (daily eating, sleep and temperature patterns).
awiseor

Contents

KIntroduction and Significance of


Study of Animal Behaviour 1-14
Introduction; Branches of Ethology: History: Konrad Lorenz, Niko Tinbergen,
Karl Von Frisch, B.F. Skinner, H.F. Harlow, Karl Lashley, Significance of
Study-ef Animal Behaviour; Animal Behaviour and the Environment; Animal
Behaviour and Cell Biology; Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare; Animal
Behaviour and Science Education; Animal Behaviour and Human Society.

Concepts and Patterns : Mechanism of Behaviour 15-49


Introduction; Motivation; Fixed Action Patterns (FAP) or Instinctive Behaviour:
Characteristics of Instincts; Difference Between nstinctive and Learned
Behaviour; Sign or Key Stimulus or Releasers; Stimulus Filtering; Code
Breakers; Innate Releasing Mechanism (RM); Action Specific Energy (ASE);
Physiological Basis; Learning or Experience; Imprinting; Behavioural Genetics;
Evolution of Behaviour; Sociobiology; Aggresstve Behaviour Patterns; Types
and Causes of Aggression; Communication Patterns; Advantages of
Communications; Types of Communication; Patterns of Parental Care; Types
of Parental Care; Courtship Patterns.

3. Approach and Methods 50-71


Introduction; Approach and Methods; Study of Animal Behaviour; Can Take
Place and Wild and in Lab; Methods to Study Brain and Behaviour Neuro
anatomical; Neurophysiological and Neurochemical Techniques; Methods to
Study Animals in Wild; Ad Libitum; Focal Animal; Scan, All Occurrence
Sequence and One-zero Sampling: Identification and Naming of Individuals:
Natural Marks; Artificial Marks; Locating Individuals in Wild: One Foot.
Radiotelemetry; Satellite Telemetry.
nter

4, Mammalian Nervous Systen and Behaviour 72- C


Hypothalamus]
|With Special Reference to
Forebrain (Prosencephalon): Diencephalon: Hypothalamus; Midbrain
Mesencephalon); Hindbrain (Metencephalon and Myelencephalon); Reticular
Formation (RE,
Activating System (RAS) or Reticular

L5. Pheromones 93-1


Introduction; Effect of Pheromones; Pheromones in Invertebrates; Functions of
Pheromones; Scent Marking in Vertebrates, Functions of Scent in Vertebrates.
6. Hormones and Drugs 113-;:
Hormones : Introduction; Hormones of Gonads; Hormones of Adrenal Gland;
Hormones of Pituitary: Survey of Hormonal Effects on Different Behavioural
Patterns; Maternal Behaviour; Methods of Study; Mechanisms of Hormone
Action.
Drugs : Introduction; Drug Addiction; Types of Drugs.

7. Biological Clocks 126-1


Introduction; Circannual CIlocks; Circatidal Clocks; Circalunar or Circasynodic
Clocks: Semilunar or Circasyzygic Clocks; Circadian Clocks.
8. Chronobiology 138
Introduction; History of Research on Human; Clocks and Human Physiology:
Discovery of Clock Genes; Sleep Disorders: Chronotherapy: Chronobiology
and Forensic Entomology: Study and Significance of Biorhythms in Ayurveda;
Terms Commonly used in Chronobiology.

9. Orientation 161-1
Introduction: Orientation; Kineses; Klinokinesis; Orthrokinesis; Taxes; Tropotaxis;
Menotaxis, Klinotaxis, Mnemotaxis, Negative-positive Orientation: Positional
Orientation; Object Orientation; Strato Orintation; Zonal Orientation:
Topographic Orientation; Geographical Orientation; Echolocation: Language of
Honey Bees.
174-1
10. Introduction;
Bird Migration and Navigation
Definition of Migration; Types of Migtation; Migratory Status;
Duration and Distance; Altitude: Speed; Causes of Migration; Advantages of
Migration; Methods of Studying Migration: Navigation.
191-2
11. Fish Migration
Introduction; Definition of Migration; Homing; Causes of Migration: 1. Gametic
or Spawning Migration; 2. Alimental or Feeding Migration: 3. Climatic or
Wintering Migration; 4. Osmoregulatory or Protective Migration: Factors
Influencing Migration: Fish Migration Ways or Fish Ladders.
Contents

2. Communication 208-242
Introduction; Types of Communication; 1. Auditory Communication; Infrasound
Communication Among Elephants and Whales; Sonar, Navigation, and
Communication; Vocalization in Non-human Primates; Echolocation in Bats;
2. Visual Communication; 3. Chemical Signals; Functions of Scent in
Vertebrates; 4. Tactile Communication.

13. Feeding Strategies 243-279


Introduction; 1. Heterotrophs; Non-Selective; Selective; 2. Parasitic Feeding
Strategy: 3. Saprophytes; 4. Miscellaneous; Commensalism; Mutualism;
Courtship Feeding: Parental Feeding; Food Sharing; Coprophagy.

14. Aggressive and Territorial Behaviour 280-304


Aggressive Behaviour : Introduction; Types and Causes of Aggression; Neural
and Hormonal Control.
Territorial Behaviour : The Size of Territories: Functions of Territoriality:
Individual Territories or Individual Distance or Dominance Area; Scent Marking
in Vertebrates.

15. Social Organization 305-337


Introduction; Mating Groups or Mating Strategies; Advantages of Being Social;
Societies of Lions, Deer, Antelopes Monkeys and other Mammals.

16. Reproductive Behaviour in Animals :


Courtship and Mating 338-368
Introduction; Types of Fertilization; Sequence and Synchronization:
Characteristics of Courtship; Attention and Courtship: Brood Care and
Courtship: Evolution of Courtship: Courtship and Mating in Non-human
Primates.

17. Parental Behaviour 369-391l


Care Before Birth; Care After Birth; Early Parental Care; Factors Affecting
Parental Care: Types of Parental Care; Care and Attachnent; Parent-offspring
Conflict.

18. Learning 392-420


Definition; Introduction; Types of Learning; Neural Mechanism of Learning.
9. Behavioural Genetics 421-431
Introduction; Methods of Studying Relationship between Genotype and
Behaviour:; (A) Studying Genetically Uniform Populations: (B) Simple Crossing
Over Experiments; (C) Geographically Distinct Populations: Single or Multiple
Gene Effect: How Genes Control an Innate
Behaviour.
Conter

20. Sociobiology 432-4


Major Social Behaviours:
Definition: Introduction; Units of Sociobiology;
Alnuism: Hamilton's Theory; Food Sharing ; Confuse the Predator; Cooperation/
Reciprocation: Selfishness: Eusociality.

21. Human Ethology 452-4


Introduction: Ethological Concepts and Human Behaviour: Concept of Sign
Stimulus: Concept of Imprinting: Kinship and Human Social Systems; Human
Pheromonés; Human Beings and Territorial Behaviour; Human Aggressive
Behaviour.

22. Wildlife of India :


Diversity, Conservation and Management 470-$
Historical Perspective; Geology: India's Awakening and Legislation to Protect
Wildlife and Environment; Wildlife Schedule I& II; Amphibians and Reptiles;
Birds; Schedule II; National Park; Sanctuaries; Biosphere Reserve; International
Programmes, Conventions and Societies; Conservation and Management;
Important Reasons for Environmental Degradation; Environment and Wildlife
Conservation: Environment and Wildlife Management; Wildlife Trade; Ivory
Trade: Decoration; Medicinal Property; Perfume Industry; Pet and
Amusements;
Major Projects; Project Lion; Project Crocodile; Project Hangul; Project Musk
Deer: Project Manipur Brow Antlered Deer; Project
Tailed Macaque; Project Swamp Deer; Project Rhino; Wild Elephant; Project Lion
Animals in Indian Mythology. Life of Rajasthan;
23. Wildlife Census and
Introduction; Indices 536
of Diversity. Methods
of Animal Census;
Counting Methods; Indices; Types
24. Experiments
1. Photo Tactic
2. Response in Earthworms / Grain or 567
3. Geot
Effecacúcof Response of Earthworm or Pest (568) Pulse Pests (567)
4. Effect of Toxicants on Opercular
5. Toxi cant s on Movement Movement and Surfacing in Fish
(569)
6.
Communi
Learni ng cbyationTrial andEarthworm
7. Hebb-Wil iam Maze (574)
in by
of Fish (572)
Error in RatPheromones (573)
with the Help of
8. Imprinting in
9.
Food
Pr
Behaviour e fere nceChi c
inks Duri n g Critical Period (577)
10. Rat Pup
11. How HumaBehavi
of
Tr ib oliu |m
or Any Other
Parourameci(S80)um Zooplanktons Grain / Pulse Pest (578)
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Common questions

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The study of biological clocks has shed light on the regulation of circadian, circatidal, and circannual rhythms, affecting physiological and behavioral patterns in humans. Advances include understanding how clock genes regulate sleep-wake cycles, feeding, and hormonal secretions, contributing to the treatment of sleep disorders and optimizing work schedules. Practical applications such as chronotherapy have emerged, timing medication to biological rhythms for increased efficacy and reduced side effects, illustrating chronobiology's transformative impact on healthcare and daily life management .

Communication patterns fundamentally shape animal social structures by facilitating coordination, reducing conflicts, and reinforcing social bonds. For instance, honeybees use the waggle dance to communicate food locations, fostering efficient foraging and cooperative colony dynamics. In mammals, vocalizations can establish group hierarchies and deter intruders, ensuring resource access and group cohesion. Such communication systems are adaptive, promoting group survival and influencing social evolution, demonstrating how communication intricately supports community structure and resilience .

Proximate causes refer to the immediate, mechanistic reasons for a behavior such as physiological or environmental triggers, while ultimate causes relate to the evolutionary significance or adaptive value of the behavior. Understanding both perspectives is crucial for comprehensively studying animal behavior, as they provide complementary insights. Historically, ethology has been shaped by pioneering studies examining both aspects, contributing to a holistic understanding of behavior. This dual perspective was pivotal in the work of ethology pioneers like Niko Tinbergen who emphasized using 'Four Questions' addressing both proximate and ultimate causes to analyze behavior .

Courtship behavior is critical in species survival as it facilitates mate selection, ensuring reproductive success and genetic diversity. It involves displays and rituals that signal mate quality, compatibility, and readiness for reproduction. Evolutionarily, courtship behaviors can lead to sexual selection, influencing characteristics that enhance reproductive success. These interactions help avoid maladaptive pairings and inbreeding, securing the continuation of adaptive traits in the population. Consequently, courtship behavior is intricately linked to species evolution, driving diversity and ecological dynamics .

In vertebrates, pheromones serve as chemical signals used for communication related to mating, territory marking, and social hierarchy. They facilitate reproduction by signaling readiness to mate, and territoriality by establishing dominance and reducing conflicts through scent marking. Pheromones thus contribute to the evolutionary success of species by enhancing reproductive efficiency, optimizing resource allocation, and increasing survival rates through reduced aggression. Such chemically mediated communication is crucial in many species' behavioral repertoires, significantly influencing social organization and species interaction .

Konrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen significantly influenced modern ethology by introducing methods like imprinting studies and the 'Four Questions' framework, respectively, addressing proximate and ultimate aspects of behavior. Lorenz's work on imprinting deepened understanding of innate behavior, while Tinbergen's framework became a foundational tool in animal research, guiding hypothesis formation and interdisciplinary studies. Their methodologies paved the way for integrating behavioral studies with ecological and evolutionary theory, cementing ethology's role in biological sciences today .

Types of learning mechanisms in animals include habituation, imprinting, classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and associative learning. These mechanisms allow animals to adapt by learning from their environment and experiences, improving survival and reproductive success. For example, imprinting enables young animals to recognize parents and habitats, while operant conditioning enhances problem-solving abilities through rewards and punishments. Such mechanisms underpin adaptive behaviors by allowing animals to modify responses based on environmental feedback .

The waggle dance is an adaptive communication mechanism in honeybee societies that conveys information about food location, distance, and direction to hive members. This behavior allows efficient foraging by guiding bees to abundant food sources, optimizing food collection. The dance signifies complex communication due to its use of intricate symbols and spatial references, reflecting high cognitive processing and cooperation characteristic of eusocial insects. It illustrates how collective behavior enhances survival, supporting resource-sharing and colony sustainability in a shared environment .

Hamilton's Rule provides a mathematical framework for understanding altruistic behavior by stating that such behavior is favored when the genetic benefits to relatives, weighted by relatedness, exceed the costs to the individual. This principle illuminates how seemingly selfless acts can enhance an organism's inclusive fitness, promoting the evolution of cooperative societies where individuals help kin at their own expense. The rule underscores the significance of kin selection in shaping social structures and adaptive behaviors across species, illustrating the genetic underpinnings of social evolution .

Parental care strategies vary widely among species, from no care in many fish to extensive care in mammals and birds. Factors influencing these strategies include environmental conditions, offspring number, predation risks, and parental investment costs. Evolutionarily, high parental investment is favored in stable environments with fewer offspring, where increased survival probabilities justify the costs. In contrast, species in volatile environments may produce many offspring with limited care to maximize reproductive output. These strategies reflect adaptations balancing offspring survival with parental resource allocation .

Course Content: Theory [Credits: 4] Unit 2: Patterns of Behaviour Unit_1: Introduction to Animal Behaviour Origin and his
awiseor Contents KIntroduction and Significance of Study of Animal Behaviour Introduction; Branches of Ethology: History:
4, Mammalian Nervous Systen and Behaviour |With Special Reference to Hypothalamus] (Prosencephalon): Diencephalon: Hypoth
Contents 2. Communication Introduction; Types of Communication; 1. Auditory Communication; Infrasound Communication Among
20. Sociobiology Definition: Introduction; Units of Sociobiology; Major Social Behaviours: Alnuism: Hamilton's Theory; Food
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