Handbook

Behavioural Ecology is the discipline devoted to understanding animal behaviour within an ecological and evolutionary context. Behavioural Ecology emerged from a synthesis of many scientific disciplines including animal behaviour, ecology, evolutionary biology, psychology and anthropology. In this subject, we will first examine various aspects of animal behaviour and consider the developmental, genetic, neural and physiological bases underlying these behaviours. Then we will investigate how and why behaviours vary among animals, how these behaviours may enable animals to thrive in their environments and how such behaviours evolved over time. By examining examples from wild animals across major animal groups, we will study predation, competition, migration, communication, sexual selection, parental care and eusociality. Participants of this subject come from a wide variety of backgrounds, ranging from professionals with tertiary-level qualifications to experienced amateurs without university training. Regardless of background, students enrolled in this subject are exposed to advanced levels of behavioural ecology allowing them to transfer their knowledge to the appropriate context.