Current Research Topics in Animal Behaviour

Module code: BS3067

This module will give you the chance to investigate in considerable detail a small number of topics of current research interest in the field of animal behaviour. It will bring you into direct contact with active researchers and the cutting-edge behavioural research they are undertaking, through a combination of research seminars, workshops and lectures. A major focus of the module is on the primary literature, and on the critical interpretation of the results of published research studies.

Topics covered

• Parasites and Behaviour: the increasingly evident role that parasitism plays in determining behavioural strategies in host populations.
• Behaviour and Welfare in Animals: how increased understanding of behavioural processes in animals is informing the debate about how animals should be treated by humans.
• Non-visual Communication: the increasingly clear importance of chemical, olfactory and acoustic communication in non-human animals – and in humans too.