Details of LS3204 (Spring 2021)
| Level: 3 | Type: Laboratory | Credits: 4.0 |
| Course Code | Course Name | Instructor(s) |
|---|---|---|
| LS3204 | Ecology and Behaviour Laboratory | Anuradha Bhat, Radhika Venkatesan |
| Syllabus |
|---|
| I: Sampling techniques in Ecology: Introduction to line transect, quadrat and point sampling
methods. Experiment 1: Estimation of population density in honey bee hives using two sampling methods. Comparison of the two sampling methods. N.B. In case honey bee hives are not available, similar experiments will be carried out with a different model system, like plants/ birds/ dogs. II: Introduction to the principles of community Ecology, and using honey bees as a model system to study some aspects of this topic. Experiment 2: Training honey bees from natural colonies to visit colour coded food sources and testing them subsequently for colour preference. Experiment 3: Estimating foraging rates of the honey bee colonies by sampling outgoing and incoming foragers and testing the preference of foragers for nectar and pollen by using artificially created uniform flowers patches with differing resources. III: Sampling methods in Animal Behaviour: Introduction to instantaneous scan, all occurrences sampling and focal animal/group sampling. Experiment 4: Ad libitum observations on a focal species to build an ethogram of the species. Experiment 5: Carrying out behavioural observation in the field on the focal species using Scans and AOS to collect data on time activity budgets and a focal behaviour of the species. IV: Foraging behaviour: Foraging is an important behaviour that can be easily observed in most species. This module will consist of behavioural experiments to understand this very important ecological trait of a model system. Experiment 6: Foraging patterns/ preferences of a model system will be tested using simple experiments that will be designed by the students. These will be carried out with guppies or other available aquarium fish. Note: Almost all the experiments will involve field work, and would be carried out during the week following the class in which the principles of the experiment would be introduced and the design of the experiment would be discussed. Students would be encouraged to come up with the experiment design, with inputs from the instructors. The data would be discussed in the next class, and statistical analyses suggested. The reports would be due in another weeks time. Some of the experiments will have multiple parts and will take 2-3 weeks to be completed. V: Project: Depending on the interests and preferences of the students, a project of 4 weeks can be included instead of two experiments 3 and 5 listed above. The students will work in groups of 2 or 3 on an idea of their own. The project should be on a topic included in the ecology syllabus of CSIR NET. The instructors will discuss the ideas and the development of the project with the students on a one-to-one basis from time to time. The students will be required to prepare a 5 minute film on their project and make a presentation including this video at the end of the project. Assessment: Lab reports (to be submitted at the end of each experiment): 60 marks Project/ End semester exam: 40 marks |
| References |
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Course Credit Options
| Sl. No. | Programme | Semester No | Course Choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IP | 2 | Elective |
| 2 | IP | 4 | Not Allowed |
| 3 | IP | 6 | Not Allowed |
| 4 | MR | 2 | Not Allowed |
| 5 | MR | 4 | Not Allowed |
| 6 | MS | 10 | Not Allowed |
| 7 | MS | 4 | Not Allowed |
| 8 | MS | 6 | Core |
| 9 | MS | 8 | Not Allowed |
| 10 | RS | 1 | Not Allowed |
| 11 | RS | 2 | Not Allowed |