ZOODSE - 602 Content | BSC Zoology Honours |

ZOODSE - 602: Animal Behavior and Chronobiology (Theory) 

Unit 1: Introduction to Animal Behaviour 

1. Origin and history of Ethology;  click here
2. Brief profiles of Karl Von Frish and Ivan Pavlov, click here
3. Proximate and ultimate causes of behaviour, Methods and recording of a behaviour  click here

Unit 2: Patterns of Behaviour 

1. Stereotyped Behaviours (Orientation, Reflexes); Individual Behavioural patterns; click here
2. Instinct vs. Learnt Behaviour;  click here
3. Associative learning, classical and operant conditioning, Habituation, Imprinting.  click here

Unit 3: Social and Sexual Behaviour  click here

1. Social Behaviour: Concept of Society; Communication and the senses; 
2. Altruism; Insects’ society with Honeybee as example; 3. Sexual Behaviour: Asymmetry of sex, Sexual dimorphism, Mate choice, 4. Intra-sexual selection (male rivalry), Inter-sexual selection (female choice), 

Unit 4: Introduction to Chronobiology   click here

1. Historical developments in chronobiology; Biological oscillation: the concept of Average, amplitude, phase and period.
2. Biological clocks: Adaptive significance of biological clocks; 
3. Chronopharmacology, Chronomedicine, Chronotherapy: Role of melatonin 

Unit 5: Biological Rhythm  click here

1. Types and characteristics of biological rhythms: Short- and Long- term rhythms; 
2. Circadian rhythms; Tidal rhythms and Lunar rhythms; Concept of synchronization and masking; Circannual rhythms; 
3. Photoperiod and regulation seasonal reproduction of vertebrates