BIOL 209
Animal Communication Fall 2009
Division III Writing Skills
Cross-listed NSCI 209
This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

Animal communication systems come in as many varieties as the species that use them. What they have in common is a sender, who encodes information into a physical signal, and a receiver, who senses the signal, extracts the information, and adjusts subsequent behavior accordingly. This tutorial will consider all aspects of communication, using different animal systems to explore different aspects of the biology of signaling. Topics will include the use of syntax to carry meaning in chickadee calls, the “piracy” of signaling system by fireflies, statements of identity, allegiance and affiliation in the form of toothed whales’ signature whistles, and long-distance chemical attractants that allow male moths to find the object of their desire.
The Class: Format: tutorial
Limit: 10
Expected: 10
Class#: 1257
Grading: no pass/fail option, no fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: evaluation will be based on five 5-page papers, tutorial presentations, and the student's effectiveness as a critic
Prerequisites: Biology 101 and Biology212/Psychology212/Neuroscience201; open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors
Enrollment Preferences: senior Neuroscience concentrators who need a Biology elective to complete the concentration
Unit Notes: satisfies the distribution requirement in the Biology major
Distributions: Division III Writing Skills
Notes: This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
NSCI 209 Division III BIOL 209 Division III
Attributes: COGS Related Courses
NSCI Group A Electives

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