MB170P0A Sociobiology and behavioral ecology I

Please note, the lectures are given in Czech language. English version of the course can be requested in advance if there are at least 3 students.
History and basic ideas of sociobiology; genetics of behaviors; advantages of sociality, reciprocal altruism and co-operation; kin altruism, helpers, family; individual and kin recognition, the origin of
eusociality: Hymenoptera, termites, other insects, mammals; infanticide; parental conflict; siblicide; brood parasitism; communication, honest signals; territoriality and its consequences; mating systems – monogamy, polyandry, polygyny, lek, promiscuity, reproductive systems in insects, ungulates, rodents, carnivores; foraging and feeding behaviour; learning.

Syllabus

1. Introduction, history and theory

Williams G.C. 1992: Natural selection: domains, levels, and challenges. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 208 pp. Kennedy J.S. 1992: The new anthropomorphism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 194 pp.

Dawkins R. (1982): The Extended Phenotype. Oxford-San Francisco, 307 pp.

2. Individual, kin, group and species recognition

Acomys cahirinus, Mus domesticus, Ambystoma tigrinum,

3. Evolution of eusociality in Hymenoptera

Phylogenetic pattern of eusociality in Hymenoptera, Polistes, haplodiploidy, coefficients of relatedness and sex ratio, alternative teories concerning eusociality, Formica truncorum.

4. Life history and eusociality in ants

Phylogeny of ants, species with primitive social organisation, castes, arm ants, Eciton, Dorylus.

5. Cooperation and conflict within the nest and social parasitism

Evolution of inquilinism and dulosis, Formica sanguinea, Polyergus rufescens, Epimyrma, aj. pleometrosis. Azteca.

6. Sociality and eusociality in termites

Single-site nesters, central-site nesters, life-history, ontogenetic pathways and casts, reproductive skew.

7. Euociality in other insects, behavioral ecology of cockroaches

Eusocial insects an overview, Cryptocercus.

9. Eusocial organisation in mammals

Bathyergidae: Heterocephalus glaber, Cryptomys, Fucomys; Helogale parvula, Microtus pinetorum.

10. Brood parasites I.

Evolution of cuckooldry, Crotophaga sulcirostris, Struthio; Intraspecific parasitism. Obligatory interspecific parasitism: Cuculus canorus, Clamator glandarius. Mafia hypothesis.

11. Brood parasites II.

Molothridae, Indicatoridae, Vidua; Phylogenetic pattern.

12. Communication, honest signalling, conflict

13. Territoriality and its consequences

14. Optimal foraging theory

Optimal foraging, time and energy budgets.

15. Specialisation

Ecological conservatism versus exploratory behaviour, personality, features of migrants, play and neotenia, cultural evolution. Cities as islands, synanthropic way of life, domestication, coevolution of animals and humans.

Literature

Krebs J.R. & Davies N.B., 1993: An introduction to behavioural ecology. Third edition. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications, 420 pp.

Krebs J.R. & Davies N.B. (eds), 1997: Behavioural ecology. Fourth edition. Blackwell Sciencee Ltd., 456 pp.

Wilson E.O. 1975: Sociobiology – The New Synthesis, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 900 pp.

Trivers R. 1985: Social evolution. Menlo Park: Benjamin Cummings, 462 pp.

Estes R.D. 1992: The behavior guide to African mammals.

Berkley: University of California Press, 611 pp.

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