University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 15

ECTS credits : 7

Level : SCQF level 10

Semester: 2

Availability restrictions: Not automatically available to General Degree students

Planned timetable: To be arranged.

Behaving animals form complex systems, and can create complicated and beautiful phenomena, such as flocks of birds, termite nests, and patterns of army ant swarms. This course will look at research that examines animal behaviour from a complex systems perspective, where analyses range from captive housing of entire bird flocks, computer simulation, and use of robots to interact with the animals. Introductory lectures will be followed by seminar-style discussion of the primary literature, computer practicals, and hands-on practicals where students will identify complex systems in animal behaviour in the world around them.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Permission of Biology Honours Adviser required

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 14 x 1-hour seminars plus 2 x 2-hour computer-based practical classes over 8 weeks

Scheduled learning hours: 22

Guided independent study hours: 128

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: Coursework = 100%


Re-assessment: Coursework = 100%

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr V A Smith
Module teaching staff: Dr V A Smith
Module coordinator email vas1@st-andrews.ac.uk

Intended learning outcomes

• Identify properties of complex systems
• Assess whether and how a system of animal behaviour represents a complex system
• Understand complexity-based methods of studying animal behaviour
• Design experiments using complexity-based methods of studying animal behaviour
• Search and critique primary literature