Details of LS4112 (Autumn 2026)
| Level: 4 | Type: Laboratory | Credits: 4.0 |
| Course Code | Course Name | Instructor(s) |
|---|---|---|
| LS4112 | Advanced Behavioural Biology | Anindita Bhadra, Annagiri Sumana, Anuradha Bhat |
| Preamble |
|---|
| Behaviour biology is a field of research that is steadily growing in India and
worldwide. There are four labs in DBS, IISER Kolkata that focus on behaviour research, and other faculty working in related areas of ecology and cognition. This course can be of interest to students across disciplines, as there is a lot of scope for interdisciplinary research and cross-talk with fields like mathematics, physics, chemistry, earth science, and economics. Thus, advanced level course in Behavioural Biology would be offered as an ID course, with no prerequisites. This course is unique as it combines theoretical concepts with hands on practicals for a comprehensive understanding of the field. Combined with creative assessment, this course will encourage students to think, problem solve and communicate in addition to giving them a glimpse into research. |
| Syllabus |
|---|
| 1.Module 1: Introduction
a.History of Ethology b.Why we need to understand behaviour c.Proximate and ultimate questions d.Framework: Tinbergen's four questions e.Some classic experiments in animal behaviour 2.Module 2: Practicals a.Methods of studying behaviour b.From qualitative observations to quantification c.Hypothesis testing for behaviour observations & statistical testing of data d.Experimental design 3.Module 3: Themes in animal behaviour a.Growth and maintenance i)Time activity budgets ii)Movement, migration & foraging b.Mating and reproduction i)Mating strategies, mate choice, sexual selection, mating systems ii)Parental care, reproductive success iii)Life history theory c.Interactions within and between species i)Aggression, winner-loser effect ii)Signalling and Communication across organisms iii)Prey-predator interactions: Optimal Foraging models, functional responses, etc. iv)Collective behaviour v)Plant-animal interactions 4.Sociality i)Cooperation and conflict, Kin selection ii)Evolution of sociality |
| References |
|---|
| Suggested Textbooks:
An introduction to Animal Behaviour (5th Edition), Manning and Stamp Dawkins Animal Behaviour by John Alcock (10th Edition). Behavioural Ecology (eds. J. R. Krebs and N. B. Davies) Principles of Animal Behavior (Second Edition) by Lee Alan Dugatkin |
Course Credit Options
| Sl. No. | Programme | Semester No | Course Choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IP | 1 | Elective |
| 2 | IP | 3 | Elective |
| 3 | MP | 1 | Not Allowed |
| 4 | MP | 3 | Not Allowed |
| 5 | MR | 1 | Not Allowed |
| 6 | MR | 3 | Not Allowed |
| 7 | MS | 3 | Not Allowed |
| 8 | MS | 5 | Not Allowed |
| 9 | MS | 7 | Elective |
| 10 | MS | 9 | Not Allowed |
| 11 | RS | 1 | Elective |
| 12 | RS | 2 | Not Allowed |