Ecology of Animal Life Histories

Description

Course Description Contents: This course is one of two courses offered about the evolution of life histories. This course (ABG-40806) is an advanced MSc course which is intended primarily for MSc students and has a limited number of participants. It focuses on understanding concepts and ideas, and applying them in the design of experiments. The other course (BHE-50306) is intended for BSc students, and forms part of the minor in wildlife biology, and focuses on acquiring basic knowledge and understanding of life history theory. This course is not a continuation of the BSc course, so no prior knowledge on life-histories is needed. The life histories of organisms are made up of characters such as the number of offspring they produce, the amount they invest in each offspring, the age at which they start reproducing, and the sex ratio of their offspring. These characteristics have an important influence on the fitness of organisms and we therefore expect them to be subject to strong natural selection and to have evolved in relation to an organism’s environment. This course focuses on the key concepts needed to understand the evolution of life histories. Specific topics include: life history trade-offs (in the wild and in animals selected for production), optimality and game theory models, physiological and genetic mechanisms underlying trade-offs, (mechanisms underlying) plasticity in life histories, sexual selection, genomics of life-history traits and animal personalities. Learning Outcomes: learning outcomes After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to: Understand the key principles of life history evolution theory Actively discuss life-history theory Formulate research questions from observations on life history variation Design a research project to test a relevant research question on life history variation Explain the link between trade-offs, fitness and plasticity Understand the link between animal personality and life history theory. Activities: - attendance to all activities is compulsory. - lectures, discussions of papers and problem solving in teams, field excursion, group work to design research on a specific life history question with feedback sessions, individual writing assignment, and a day of student presentations at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) - oral exams Examination: Assessment method(s) Weighting (%) Minimum grade Validity* Individual Performance 30 None 2 Participation cannot be retaken. Individual Assignment report 40 None 2 Assignments can be handed in at the next official resit moment. Individual Oral test 10 None 2 Individual Assignment other 10 None 2 Quality of the review on the draft report of a fellow student. Assignments can be handed in at the next official resit moment Group Assignment oral presentation 10 None 2 Oral presentation of written report. Presentation cannot be retaken. *The duration of the validity is expressed as years after the academic year in which a passing grade for this assessment was obtained. Literature: Will be handed out during course. Practical information and Schedule Credits: 6 ECTS Language of Instruction: English Mode of Delivery: Taught on the Campus Campus Location: Wageningen Chair Group: Animal Breeding and Genomics Course Schedule: Link to the most recent course schedule Teaching Methods Below find the contact hours and teaching methods for this course. Teaching methods are expressed in credits study load (one credit equals 28 clock hours and study load includes alle necessary activities like preparation, contact hours and self study). Contact hours are expressed in time slots of 40 minutes. Teaching Methods: Contact hours:: 7 Credits:: 0,25; Credits:: 0,25; Credits:: 1,5; Contact hours:: 41 Credits:: 2,0; Contact hours:: 20 Credits:: 2,0 Grading of this course Grading scale: Grades (0-10) Course Periods Offered and Registration Below find in which period(s) the course is offered, how to register for this course and what course registration deadlines apply. For a complete overview, check our Academic Calender. Course has a limitation: This course has a limitation. Either is has a maximum number of participants and/or is an Academic Master Cluster course and/or is a Modular Skills Training Course. For courses with a maximum, students for which this course is a compulsory or restricted optional course, should register at least 1 week before the deadline mentioned to qualify for priority in being enrolled. Qualifying students up to the maximum will be enrolled in the course by the course coordinator. For Academic Master Cluster Courses and Modular Skills Training Courses, a specific registration procedure applies as outlined in this paragraph. Registration through OSIRIS Student: You can register through OSIRIS Student up to the deadline mentioned. Course Schedule: Link to the most recent course schedule Periods and deadlines for registration: Timeslot(s): Whole Day Registration Period: 1 June 2025 until 11 January 2026 23:59 Deregistration period: until 11 January 2026 23:59 Staff The course coordinator, examiner and lecturers of this course are mentioned below. When a special contact person or contact email address for this course applies, this is listed below the lecturers. When applicable, please use that way to contact the course team. Otherwise, contact the course coordinator to contact the course team. Staff: Email-address: kees.vanoers@wur.nl; Email-address: kees.vanoers@wur.nl; Email-address: mirte.bosse@wur.nl Email-address: filipe.cunha@wur.nl Email-address: kees.vanoers@wur.nl