Course Code:  ZOOL 41612

Title:  Herpetology

Pre-requisite: ZOOL 22543

Co-requisite:  None

Status: Theory cum Practical.

Compulsory.

Learning outcomes:

After completion of the course unit, the student will be able to;

• determine the community structure using diversity indices,
• discuss the effect of dominant, keystone and foundation species on the community structure
• discuss the effect of  biogeographic factors on the community structure,
• discuss the competition, predation, symbiotic relationships, pathogens and zoonotic diseases in animal communities,
• discuss the functional significance of foraging, territorial and mating behaviour,
• explain the social organization of aquatic mammals, canids and felids, elephants, primates and ungulates in relation to their ecology,
• demonstrate skills in analyzing food habits of mammals and birds in relation to their morphology,
• carry out ecological surveys in rivers/streams and rocky/sandy shore ecosystems, and
• demonstrate skills in studying play behaviour, aggression, anti-predatory behaviour and territorial behaviour of some animals in a scientific manner.

Course content:

Ecological Interactions: Community ecology; Habitat, niche and multidimensional niche theory. Diversity and trophic structure in communities; species diversity and analysis of community structure using diversity indices,  Trophic structure of a community and limits on food chain length, Impact of dominant, keystone and foundation species on the community structure, Bottom-up and top-down control of food chains. Biogeographic factors affecting community diversity; latitudinal gradients, area effects and the Island Equilibrium Model.

Community interactions: Competition; types of competition, the competitive exclusion principle, temporal and spatial portioning of resource, Character displacement (morphological resource partitioning). Predation and herbivory; Predator-prey relationships including predator and prey strategies. Symbiotic community interactions; parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism. Ecology of disturbance and patch dynamics, Intermediate disturbance hypothesis. Ecological succession. Pathogens and zoonotic diseases on animal communities. Community assembly theory and ecology of habitat selection.

Behavioural Ecology: Functional significance of behaviour; Optimality theory and quantification of optimal behaviour through cost-benefit analysis, Measurement of function of behaviour. Foraging behaviour; Feeding tactics in animals including feeding at different trophic levels, modifying food supply, trapping and detecting food, tool use and co-operate hunting, Abundance and availability of food and search image formation. Ecology of reproduction; Mating behaviour, sexual selection and mate choice, Mating systems, Inclusive fitness, infanticide, altruism and kin selection, Parental care. Game theory. Social organization of; aquatic mammals, canids and felids, elephants, primates and ungulates in relation to their ecology. A generalized model to explain the social organization of higher animals. Genetic basis and evolution of behaviour.

Practical sessions on: Study of food habits of mammals and birds in relation to their morphology, Field survey to study ecological interactions in a river/stream ecosystem, Field survey to study ecological interactions in a rocky shore intertidal ecosystem, Field study on the play behaviour of dogs, Laboratory study on the aggressive and anti-predatory behaviour of fishes, Territorial behaviour of dogs.

Method of teaching and learning:

A combination of lectures, laboratory and field practical sessions, computer based learning, self-studies, assignments and small group discussions

Assessment:

In-course assessment and end of semester examination.

Recommended reading:

1. Alcock, J. (2005). Animal behaviour: An evolutionary approach. Sinaeur Associates Publishers, Massachusetts.
2. Hauer, E. F. & G. A. Lamberti (2007). Methods in Stream Ecology. Academic Press.
3. Krebs, J. R. & N.B. Davies (1993). Behavioural ecology. Blackwell.
4. Osborne, P. L. (2000). Tropical Ecosystems and Ecological Concepts. Cambridge University Press.
5. Raven, P. H. & G. B. Johnson (2010). Biology. 8^th Tata McGraw-Hill Edition
6. Reece, J. B., L. A. Urry, M. L. Cain, S. A. Wasserman, P. V. Minorsky & R. B. Jackson (2011). Campbell Biology, Global Edition. 9^th Pearson Education Inc.