Behavioural Ecology in natural and man-made environments

This course explores behavioral ecology in the context of a rapidly changing world

Part I: Major concepts of behavioral ecology, including homeostasis, communication, movement, foraging, learning, sociality, interspecific interactions, and parental care, will first be introduced, and then the effects of human-mediated stressors (climate change, acidification, eutrophication, habitat fragmentation, pollution, artificial light, invasive species, urbanization …) on that specific concept will be examined in turn.

Part II: We will focus on the relationship human-animal and assess the direct impacts of humans on animal behavior, addressing themes such as human-wildlife conflict, animal welfare, conservation and domestication. Particular emphasis will be placed on how our interactions with animals influence their behavior and on strategies to mitigate our impacts

• Introduce the foundational concepts of behavioral ecology, such as homeostasis, communication, movement, foraging, learning, sociality, interspecific interactions, and parental care, while examining how different human-mediated stressors shape these behaviors.
• Analyze behavioral strategies from both proximate (mechanistic) and ultimate (evolutionary) perspectives, with a focus on how species adapt or fail to adapt to a rapid changing world
• Investigate learning and plasticity as mechanisms that allow animals to cope with novel and shifting conditions, and evaluate their role in resilience to global change.
• Explore human-animal relationships and their effect on animal behavior, with attention to human-wildlife conflict, animal welfare, and domestication.
• Promote a scientific approach to animal welfare and conservation, emphasizing how behavioral responses can serve as indicators of stress, well-being, and long-term viability in a human-dominated world.
• Develop an integrated perspective on animal behavior by linking its evolutionary and developmental foundations to its ecological, societal, and economic relevance under global change.

Connaissances et compétences pré-requises ou co-requises

Students are expected to have basic knowledge of ecology and animal behavior, typically acquired during a bachelor’s program in biology, bioengineering, or a related field

theory: lectures
practical excercise: in-depth exploring and presenting a topic related to animal behavior in a changing world
 

Références, bibliographie et lectures recommandées

powerpoint

Support(s) de cours

• Université virtuelle

Contacts

Thomas Parmentier
thomas.parmentier@ulb.be

Campus

Plaine

Méthode(s) d'évaluation

• Examen oral
• Autre

Examen oral

Autre

Oral exam, practical work

Construction de la note (en ce compris, la pondération des notes partielles)

theory: 80%
practical work: 20%

Langue(s) d'évaluation

• anglais
• (éventuellement français )