First-Year Courses in Biology (Division 328)

Winter Term, 2000 (September 8 - December 22, 1999)

Section 001.

Instructor(s): Philip Myers (pmyers@umich.edu)

Credits: (4).

Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.

The goal of this course is to describe the diversity of animals. Students will learn about the diversity of animal life, accumulate information and experience that will enhance their appreciation of the natural world, and gain background to enable them to better understand current issues concerning biodiversity and conservation. Lectures will be presented by faculty who work with the animals being considered. Topics for each group of animals studied will include a description of diversity, evolutionary background, natural history, and issues concerning conservation or biodiversity. Students will attend three lectures and one discussion section per week. Grades for the course will be based on three midterms, a paper, and a final exam.

Section 001.

Instructor(s): Robert Payne (rbpayne@umich.edu)

Credits: (3).

Course Homepage: No Homepage Submitted.

The course is an introduction to the behavior of animals in their natural environment. Social behavior of birds, mammals, and insects is emphasized. Topics include: the environment as animals perceive it, natural selection and adaptations, development of behavior, communication, sexual cooperation and mate choice, social behavior of animals in groups, the importance of family relationships, and the evolution of traditions.

The course objectives are to gain a background in the natural behavior of animals and to explain the evolution of behavior. By the end of the course you should be able to: (1) evaluate the evidence that behavior is shaped by natural selection; (2) recognize the interaction between environmental modification and genetic determination; and (3) explain sexual behavior, aggressive behavior, and social interactions in terms of evolution. The course consists of lectures, readings, slides, and movies. Grades are based on two midterms and a final exam; exams are multiple choice. Texts: The Selfish Gene (rev. ed., R. Dawkins) and Animal Behavior, an Evolutionary Approach (6th ed., J. Alcock).